Tyla Makes History With Double Win, Beats Burna Boy, Wizkid, Rema to Another Major Award
- South African star Tyla has emerged as one of the biggest winners at the 2026 American Music Awards
- The singer clinched two major awards, including Best Afrobeats Artist and Social Song of the Year
- Her win over top Nigerian stars has set social media buzzing with praise and debate
South African pop sensation Tyla has etched her name into history books after delivering a standout performance at the 52nd American Music Awards (AMAs), where she walked away with two major trophies.
The rising global star emerged as one of the biggest highlights of the night, clinching Best Afrobeats Artist and Social Song of the Year for her viral hit “CHANEL”.
Legit.ng reports that she had earlier won a second Grammy award in February.
Source: Getty Images
Her double win made her the only African artist to secure awards at this year’s ceremony, despite going into the event as the most nominated African act with four nods.
One of the night’s biggest talking points was her victory in the Best Afrobeats Artist category, where she edged out some of the continent’s biggest names, including Burna Boy, Wizkid, Rema, and Moliy.
The category was widely seen as one of the most competitive of the night, making her win a major statement in the global Afrobeats conversation.
She also secured Social Song of the Year with “CHANEL”, a fan-driven award that further highlighted her massive online influence.
Released in October 2025, “CHANEL” quickly became a global sensation, dominating charts and pulling in over 320 million Spotify streams.
The song followed the earlier success of her breakout hit “Water”, which first introduced her to global audiences in 2023.
Blending R&B with South Africa’s signature Amapiano sound, Tyla created a unique style that helped her break into international charts, including the US Billboard Hot 100 top 10.
Born in Johannesburg, Tyla’s rise has been steady but explosive. After “Water” went viral across social media platforms, she transitioned from a local talent into a global pop force.
Her career highlights already include a Grammy win for Best African Music Performance and consecutive MTV VMAs wins for Best Afrobeats Video.
She is also already eyeing the future, with two nominations at the upcoming 2026 BET Awards, including a historic Video of the Year nod.
See her award here:
Reactions trail Tyla's AMA award
Legit.ng compiled the reactions of social media users below:
@Real_Ebube noted:
"Afrobeats is too big for every achievement to become Nigeria vs South Africa. Tyla winning does not reduce Burna Boy, Wizkid or Rema. One artist winning is not another country losing. African music is winning globally. That should be the focus."
@obalola213 wrote:
"That thing was rigged. Tyla has clearly stated that she's not an afrobeat artist. We need to boycott these awards if they continue trying to ridicule our artists"
Cardi B defends Tyla
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that US rapper Cardi B defended Tyla following the recent social media bullying.
Viewers felt Tyla was rude towards Halle Bailey for asking her to hold her award. Instead, Cardi observed that she was asking Lil Nas X to hold her award because he was the
Source: Legit.ng
