After her breakout year, Tyla continues to fly the flag high for South African music. At this year's MTV Europe Music Awards, which were hosted on the 10th of November 2024 in Manchester, she went home with a total of three awards to her name. This came after being nominated for a total of four awards for the evening.
As she continues her rise within the music industry, Tyla is unapologetically being herself, despite the uproar online attempting to discredit her talent. Although her rise to stardom began in 2019 with her hit single "Getting Late" featuring Kooldrink, many discovered Tyla through her single "Water," which took the world by storm. This later saw Travis Scott lay down a guest verse when she released her self-titled album in 2024.
At this year’s MTV Europe Music Awards, Tyla won awards in the following categories: Best Afrobeats, Best R&B, and Best African Act. After winning Best R&B Act, Tyla shared a heartfelt message of thanks to her team and fans: “Oh my gosh, guys. I am just as shocked as you are. I don’t know what to do… Thank you to my Tygers, thank you to my team, and thank you to the EMAs. I know it’s hard to categorize my music—I mix so many different genres into one, but R&B is a huge influence in my music, especially Aaliyah, who is one of my idols. The fact that I’m winning this in her dress is just...”
After winning the Best Afrobeats award, Tyla took to the stage accompanied by her younger sister, Sydney Seethal, to accept the award. “For those who don’t know, this is my sister Sydney! I can’t believe it—literally, all the nominees are insane. They have taken Afrobeats so far, and I am so honored to be winning this award. I just want to thank my team, my family, and the Tygers for voting for me. Thank you so much! Thank you to God, obviously, and thank you to Afrobeats. Afrobeats has opened so many doors for African music.”
As Tyla continues her rise up the music industry ladder, there’s no doubt that her success will open doors for so many other musical artists from South Africa to make their mark on a global scale just like she has.