Tyla Challenges Labeling All African Music as Afrobeats at MTV Awards

South African singer Tyla has voiced her opposition to the Western practice of categorizing all African music under the umbrella of Afrobeats. Speaking at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards after winning Best Afrobeats Song, Tyla acknowledged the positive influence Afrobeats has had on promoting African music globally but stressed the need for greater recognition of the continent’s musical diversity.

During her acceptance speech, Tyla emphasized her South African roots and her representation of the Amapiano genre, stating, “The success of ‘Water’ shows that African music can also be pop music. However, it’s bittersweet because African artists are often grouped solely under Afrobeats.”

While expressing admiration for Afrobeats’ global success, she highlighted the importance of acknowledging other genres like Amapiano and celebrating Africa’s rich cultural diversity. Tyla also gave a nod to her fellow nominees, including Tems, Ayra Starr, Wizkid, Burna Boy, Rema, and Lojay

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