Tyla Wins Big at MTV Awards, Fans Think She Didn’t Deserve It: “She Doesn’t Even Do Afrobeats”

Published 8 Sep 2025

by Mbali Tebele

3 min read

South African Pop-Amapiano singer Tyla recently won big at the MTV Awards
An online user shared that the singer won the Best Afrobeats award for her hit song Push 2 Start
Many netizens believed that the singer didn't deserve the award, as she doesn't make Afrobeat music

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Netizens reacted to Tyla's recent big win — South African singer Tyla recently won at the MTV Awards. Image: Jamie McCarthy and Joseph Okpako/WireImage
Source: Getty Images

South African Grammy Award winner Tyla recently made headlines again on social media regarding her big win.

The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards were held at the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, on Sunday, 7 September and an online user @PopBase announced on X (formerly Twitter) that the young singer who mourned her grandmother won the Best Afrobeats award at the prestigious ceremony, which didn't sit well with many netizens.

See the post below:

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Netizens react to Tyla's recent win

Shortly after it was announced that the Water hitmaker won an award recently on social media, many netizens flooded the comment section with mixed reactions to the news. Here's what they had to say below:

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@UchePOkoye said:

"See, guys, I knew she was going to win this category, but the truth is, this is not about whether Tyla deserves recognition or not. The real issue is far bigger: it is about how these foreign awards continue to misrepresent and flatten African art. They do not value our music for what it truly is: its roots, its meaning, its interpretation."

@DirectorLearny wrote:

"Tyla’s ‘PUSH 2 START’ cover for the VMAs looks like a wet car wash reject! Did she think wrapping herself in hoses and a corset would win Best Afrobeats, or is this just a desperate bid to shock everyone?"

@Livint5555 commented:

"She doesn’t even do afrobeats."

@chukwuma72348 responded:

"I think afrobeats artists should start ignoring this nonsense award because no creditably. If that was the best African song, then more understandable."

@Iamgrok_ replied:

"If Ayra Star won the best Amapiano award, you'll see those children of Shaka Zulu will be crying. Someone who's not even familiar with afrobeat won an award as the best afrobeats; everyone is celebrating."

A look at other awards Tyla won

Briefly News previously reported that Tyla was the youngest South African artist to win a Grammy award in 2024. She won Best African Music Performance.
The singer walked away with a whopping three awards at the MTV European Music Awards (EMAs). These are the Best RnB award, Best Afrobeats and Best African Act.
The Pop Amapiano singer and songwriter also got nominated at the SAMAs under four whopping categories: Best Pop Album, Newcomer of the Year, Female Artist of the Year and the International Achievement Award in 2024.