Tyla has secured her second Grammy Award, winning Best African Music Performance for “PUSH 2 START” at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards. The win adds to a run that has steadily placed Tyla among the most visible African pop artists working today.
The Best African Music Performance category was introduced in 2024, following sustained global attention on Afrobeats, amapiano, and other African-origin sounds. Its creation formalised a space for African music at the Grammys, with five songs nominated annually, while still allowing African artists to compete in other general categories. Since its inception, the category has become a focal point for continental recognition and debate.
A Category Still Finding Its Shape
When the Recording Academy announced the category, it cited the global impact of artists such as Davido, Burna Boy, Wizkid, Tems, Rema, CKay, Zakes Bantwini, Nomcebo Zikode, and others as part of the reasoning behind its creation. The recognition followed years of African music circulating beyond local scenes and into regular global rotation.
Tyla made history in 2024 by becoming the first artist to win the category with her breakout hit “Water.” That first win placed Tyla at the centre of a category that was still finding its footing. With her 2026 win, she becomes the first artist to claim the award twice, a notable achievement within the category’s short history.
“PUSH 2 START” and the 2026 Win
“PUSH 2 START” edged out a competitive lineup that included Burna Boy’s “Love,” Davido’s “With You” featuring Omah Lay, Ayra Starr’s “Gimme Dat” featuring Wizkid, and Eddy Kenzo & Mehran Matin’s “Hope & Love.” The nominees came from different parts of the continent and approached the category from distinct musical angles.
The track, which appears on the deluxe edition of Tyla’s debut project Tyla+, blends amapiano foundations with pop structure, a balance that has become central to her appeal. The song’s reach across streaming platforms and charts helped keep it in constant circulation throughout the eligibility period.
Context, Debate, and Nigerian Expectations
The category has also sparked ongoing discussions, particularly in Nigeria, where multiple artists have appeared on the nomination list each year. Since 2024, Nigerian acts have consistently made up a significant portion of the nominees, contributing to heightened expectations around wins.
While Tems won the category in 2025 with “Love Me JeJe,” the 2026 result once again saw a non-Nigerian artist take the prize. The outcome reignited conversations about how success is measured, the subjectivity of award selections, and whether international recognition should be treated as a definitive marker of artistic value.
What Tyla’s Run Represents
Winning the category twice places Tyla in a small group of artists whose work has continued to travel across borders without major shifts in sound. Her music has shown an ability to travel across markets without losing its roots, placing her within a growing group of artists shaping how African pop is received worldwide.
Awards often capture who had the loudest presence during a particular stretch of time. In that sense, Tyla’s second Grammy win documents a period where African music is no longer knocking for entry but actively shaping global sound.
Beyond trophies, African music has already secured something more lasting: sustained attention across global audiences. What comes next depends on how artists choose to build on that attention, regardless of awards.
