South Africa woke up smiling on Monday after Tyla added another golden gramophone to her growing collection. The 24-year-old star took home Best African Music Performance at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles for her hit “PUSH 2 START”, marking her second win in the category.
This moment lands just two years after she first stunned the world with her breakout single “Water”, which won the inaugural Best African Music Performance award in 2024. Now she returns as one of the few artists to claim the title twice in the category’s brief but impactful history.
A night where African music stood tall
The category celebrates songs rooted in African musical traditions, and this year’s field was stacked with continental heavyweights. Burna Boy, Davido and Omah Lay, Ayra Starr and Wizkid, and Eddy Kenzo were all in the race, proving how competitive and influential the space has become.
Yet “PUSH 2 START”, featured on the deluxe edition of Tyla’s debut album, had already built global momentum. The track pushed her sound deeper into international territory, expanding on the success that catapulted her from Edenvale to the world stage.
Trevor Noah signs off hosting duties in style
The ceremony took place at the Crypto.com Arena, where Trevor Noah hosted the show for the sixth and final time. His run has been widely celebrated both locally and abroad, helping position South African talent firmly within global pop culture over the years.
A historic night across categories
Tyla’s victory was just one piece of a ceremony full of firsts. Kendrick Lamar dominated the night with five wins, including Best Rap Album for GNX, bringing his career total to 27 and cementing him as the most awarded rapper in Grammy history.
Bad Bunny made history with Album of the Year for DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, the first Spanish-language project to earn the top honour. Billie Eilish and Finneas became the first songwriters to win Song of the Year three times with “Wildflower”, while Olivia Dean took Best New Artist.
In the pop and electronic world, Lady Gaga, FKA twigs and Turnstile also walked away with major wins, showing how diverse the global music landscape has become.
Another milestone for South African music
Tyla joins an impressive lineage of South Africans who have claimed Grammy victories, including Black Coffee, Zakes Bantwini and the late Miriam Makeba. Her win adds fuel to the growing recognition of local artists on one of the world’s biggest stages.
At just 24, Tyla’s global rise feels like the start of a generational shift, one where South African music is not only participating in worldwide conversations but shaping them.
If this moment is anything to go by, she is nowhere near done starting things.
Source: IOL
Featured Image Source: Tyla JPG on X
