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Tyla’s Rising Star and Major Award at the American Music Awards 2025
South African singer Tyla has once again made headlines by winning a major award at the 2025 American Music Awards (AMAs). On Monday, May 26, 2025, she was named the Favourite Afrobeats Artist, a big achievement that adds to her growing list of international recognitions. Many fans were surprised because Tyla’s music mixes pop, amapiano, and R&B, so some find it hard to call her just an Afrobeats artist.
Facing Tough Competition in Afrobeats
The AMAs were held at the BleuLive Theatre in Las Vegas. Tyla competed against famous Afrobeats stars like Wizkid, Tems, Rema, and Asake. Even with strong competition, her popular song “Push 2 Start” helped her win the award. She was also nominated for Favourite Female R&B Artist, but that award went to SZA for her song “Snooze.”
Confusion Over Tyla’s Music Genre
Since Tyla’s rise to fame, there has been ongoing discussion about what music genre she truly belongs to. Many fans and critics find it difficult to label her music because she mixes different styles. At the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), Tyla again won an Afrobeats award, but she expressed mixed feelings about it. In her acceptance speech, she pointed out a common problem with how African artists are categorized in American award shows.
She said, “The global impact that ‘Water’ has had on the world just proves that African music can be pop music too. This is just so special, but also bittersweet because I know there’s a tendency to group all African artists under Afrobeats. It’s a thing, and even though Afrobeats has run things and has opened so many doors for us, African music is so diverse. It’s more than just Afrobeats.”
Tyla’s Award Win Sparks Mixed Feelings: Support and Criticism from Fans and Stars
Some Fans Question Tyla’s Place as an Afrobeats Artist
Not everyone agrees that Tyla fits the Afrobeats label. Many music fans feel other artists, like Wizkid, deserved the award more. On social media, people shared their thoughts openly. Some said Tyla’s music is more pop, amapiano, or R&B than Afrobeats. For example, one user said, “Tyla is not an Afrobeats artist,” while another felt it was unfair for her to win over artists who make traditional African music. Others joked that award shows should add amapiano as a separate category because it’s different from Afrobeats.
Many Fans Celebrate Tyla’s Success – American Music Awards 2025
On the flip side, many fans are very happy for Tyla. They praised her hard work and talent, saying she deserves the win. Fans cheered her for making waves internationally and bringing attention to African music. Some called her the new queen of Afrobeats and said she is changing the music game with her unique style.
Cardi B Stands Up for Tyla about the American Music Awards 2025
Tyla got support from famous rapper Cardi B when she faced online bullying. After Tyla asked Halle Bailey or Lil Nas X to hold her award, some people online were mean to her. Cardi B spoke out and said this was wrong. She called it bullying and told people to show respect to Tyla. Her support helped start talks about how African artists are treated around the world.
Tyla’s Growing Global Impact
Tyla’s win at the 2025 American Music Awards is historic. She is the first South African and the first woman to win Favourite Afrobeats Artist since the category started in 2022. Her hit song “Push 2 Start” helped her beat big names like Wizkid, Tems, Rema, and Asake. Earlier in 2025, she also won a Grammy for Best African Music Performance with her global hit “Water.” Her debut album reached number 24 on the US Billboard 200, and “Water” climbed to number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100—the highest ever for a South African solo artist.
Final Thoughts: Tyla’s Rise Shows a Bright Future for African Music
Tyla’s success shows that people all over the world are loving African music and culture more than ever. Her special mix of amapiano, pop, and R&B is helping other African artists get noticed on big music stages everywhere.
With her important awards and hit songs, Tyla is helping people see how rich and varied African music really is. She is breaking new ground for South African artists and changing how the world thinks about African music. As she keeps growing, Tyla is inspiring many others and making it easier for new artists from Africa to shine.
