Tyla’s 2nd Grammy Win Explained: Inside the Voting That Sealed Her Victory Over Giants Like Davido

• Tyla secured her second Grammy in three years, sparking major online debate as fans argued over her win in a highly competitive African category
• Grammy voting was thrust into the spotlight, but experts explained that there are factors that led to Tyla’s win
• The Recording Academy also clarified that Grammy winners are chosen solely by US-based music professionals who vote based on several factors

Our girl Tyla did it again, bagging her second Grammy Award in just three years. The South African-born star had the internet buzzing, with social media split over her historic win. While many are celebrating her success, others are convinced she doesn't deserve it.

Some social media users have suggested that internationally acclaimed Nigerian star Davido's With You featuring Omah Lay, was more deserving than Tyla's Push 2 Start, which emerged victorious. The category itself was filled with top African bangers, including Ayra Starr and Wizkid's Gimme Dat, Burna Boy's Love and Eddy Kenzo and Mehran Matin's Hope & Love.

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Why did Tyla win the Grammy Award?

Social media turned into a South Africa vs Nigeria battleground once again following Tyla's Grammy win at the 68th annual Grammy Awards ceremony hosted by award-winning South African comedian and TV host Trevor Noah on Sunday, 1 February 2026. The debate prompted many, including Somizi Mhlongo, to defend Tyla from online trolls.

According to Vanguard, US-based Nigerian music professional and a member of the Grammy Recording Academy, Richardine Bartee, explained that one of the main reasons why Tyla won the award, beating African giants like Davido and Burna Boy, was because of her team and the global backing she has. She also explained that the Water hitmaker's label, Epic Records, also plays a part in her success. She said:

"Being part of such a powerful label means access to the right strategy, promotion, and industry connections. These factors help ensure her music reaches the right audiences and decision-makers worldwide. In many ways, Tyla’s consistent wins across major award ceremonies reflect not just her talent, but also the strength and experience of the team supporting her career."

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How are Grammy winners chosen?

Recording Academy CEO Harvey Jay Mason Jr. explained that Grammy winners are decided solely by votes from Academy members, who are music professionals working in the United States. He noted that members assess submissions based on artistic quality, not sales, streams, popularity or fan influence, with no input from journalists, labels or the public. He said:

"All the music is submitted, and the members listen to it, and they evaluate it by the quality of the art, not the sales, not the streams, not how many fans, not how many followers, but purely on the opinions of the Recording Academy members in that particular year. That’s how you win a Grammy. There’s no voters’ vote, no journalists, no labels, it’s music professionals voting for their peers."

Nigerian singer reacts to Tyla's Grammy win

In another report, Briefly News reported that Nigerian singer Omah Lay was among the first celebrities to celebrate Tyla's historic win.

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The With You singer, who was also nominated in the Best African Performance category, took to his Instagram stories to share a heartfelt message for the South African pop star.

Source: Briefly News