Photo credit: mtvema/Instagram
“I want to thank my team, my family and the tigers for voting for me… Thank you to Afrobeats. Afrobeats has opened so many doors for African music. So thank you so much to Afrobeats,” Tyla said as she accepted the Best Afrobeats award at the 2024 MTV Europe Music Awards (EMA), held yesterday at Manchester’s Co-op Live arena.
Unlike her previous acceptance speech at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMA) — where she advocated for recognition of African genres beyond Afrobeats — Tyla’s speech this time warmly acknowledged the genre, appreciating the opportunities it has created for African artists like herself.
The night was a major win for the Grammy-winning South African artist. Tyla not only won the Best Afrobeats award in a competitive category that included Nigerian stars Asake, Ayra Starr, Burna Boy, Rema, and Tems, but she also made history as the first African artist to win three awards in one night at the EMAs: Best Afrobeats, Best African Act, and Best R&B.
As she received her Best Afrobeats award, Tyla was joined on stage by her sister, Sydney, who expressed her pride, saying, “I’m proud of you.”
Watch Tyla receive her award below, along with the sweet sister moment shared with her sister.
For her debut MTV EMA performance, Tyla brough the heat, delivering a live rendition of her award-winning hit “Water” and her recently released track, “Push 2 Start.”
See looks from the event:
Tyla
Maya Jama
Host Rita Ora & her husband, Taika Waititi
The Warning Rock Band
Benson Boone
LE SSERAFIM
Peso Pluma
Jodie Smith
Shawn Mendes
Check out the list of this year’s EMA winners (with winners highlighted in bold):
Best song
Ariana Grande – ‘We Can’t Be Friends (Wait For Your Love)’
Benson Boone – ‘Beautiful Things’
Beyoncé – ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’
Billie Eilish – ‘Birds Of A Feather’
Chappell Roan – ‘Good Luck, Babe!’
Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Espresso’
Best video
Ariana Grande – ‘We Can’t Be Friends (Wait For Your Love)’
Charli XCX – ‘360’
Eminem – ‘Houdini’
Kendrick Lamar – ‘Not Like Us’
Lisa ft. Rosalía – ‘New Woman’
Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – ‘Fortnight’
Best Artist
Beyoncé
Billie Eilish
Post Malone
RAYE
Sabrina Carpenter
Taylor Swift
Best Collaboration
Charli XCX ft. Billie Eilish – ‘Guess’
Future, Metro Boomin & Kendrick Lamar – ‘Like That’
Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars – ‘Die With A Smile’
Lisa ft. Rosalía – ‘New Woman’
Peso Pluma & Anitta – ‘Bellakeo’
Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – ‘Fortnight’
Best New
Ayra Starr
Benson Boone
Chappell Roan
LE SSERAFIM
Teddy Swims
The Last Dinner Party
Tyla
Best Pop
Billie Eilish
Ariana Grande
Camila Cabello
Charli XCX
Dua Lipa
Sabrina Carpenter
Taylor Swift
Best Afrobeats
Asake
Ayra Starr
Burna Boy
Rema
Tems
Tyla
Best African Act
Ayra Starr
Tyla
Asake
Diamond Platnumz
DBN Gogo
TitoM & Yuppe
Best Rock
Bon Jovi
Coldplay
Green Day
Kings Of Leon
Lenny Kravitz
Liam Gallagher
The Killers
Best Latin
Anitta
Bad Bunny
KAROL G
Peso Pluma
Rauw Alejandro
Shakira
Best K-Pop
Jimin
Jung Kook
LE SSERAFIM
Lisa
NewJeans
Stray Kids
Best Alternative
Fontaines D.C.
Hozier
Imagine Dragons
Lana Del Rey
Twenty One Pilots
Yungblud
Best Electronic
Calvin Harris
David Guetta
Disclosure
DJ Snake
Fred Again..
Swedish House Mafia
Best Hip-Hop
Central Cee
Eminem
Kendrick Lamar
Megan Thee Stallion
Nicki Minaj
Travis Scott
Best R&B
Kehlani
SZA
Tinashe
Tyla
Usher
Victoria Monét
Best Live
Adele
Coldplay
Doja Cat
RAYE
Taylor Swift
Travis Scott
Best Push
Ayra Starr
Chappell Roan
Coco Jones
Flyana Boss
Jessie Murph
Laufey
LE SSERAFIM
Mark Ambor
Shaboozey
Teddy Swims
The Warning
Victoria Monét
Biggest Fans
Anitta
Ariana Grande
Beyoncé
Billie Eilish
Chappell Roan
Charli XCX
Katy Perry
Lisa
Nicki Minaj
Sabrina Carpenter
Shawn Mendes
Taylor Swift
Best U.S Act
Ariana Grande
Beyoncé
Kendrick Lamar
Sabrina Carpenter
Taylor Swift
Best UK & Ireland Act
Central Cee
Charli XCX
Chase & Status
Dua Lipa
Hozier
RAYE
Global Icons
Pop Pioneers
