The South African singer earlier faced backlash after claiming she doesn’t belong in the Afrobeats category.
South African music star Tyla, full name Tyla Laura Seethal, recently credited Afrobeats for opening doors for African music on the global stage.
The milestone event, hosted in Manchester, England, on November 10, 2024, marked the 30th anniversary of the EMAs and a celebrated return after last year’s cancellation in Paris due to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The 22-year-old sensation had a remarkable night, winning three awards: Best Afrobeats Act, where she beat heavyweights like Burna Boy, Asake, Ayra Starr, and Tems; Best African Act, surpassing talents like Ayra Starr, DBN Gogo, Diamond Platnumz, and TitoM & Yuppe; and a win in the R&B category, triumphing over American stars Kehlani, SZA, Tinashe, Usher, and Victoria Monét.
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During her acceptance speech for Best Afrobeats Act, Tyla appeared on stage with her sister Sydney Seethal, expressing gratitude to Afrobeats for paving the way for African music globally. She said
“I want to thank my team. I want to thank my family, the Tygers, for voting for me. Thank you to God, obviously. Afrobeats has opened so many doors for African music”
Many consider Tyla’s acknowledgment of Afrobeats a response to the backlash from her 2024 VMAs acceptance speech, where she stirred controversy by identifying with her home genre, Amapiano, despite winning in an Afrobeats category. This latest gesture appears to be a nod to the genre’s undeniable role in elevating African music worldwide.
