South African superstar Tyla has officially joined the ranks of global music trailblazers after winning the Best Afrobeats category at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) for her chart-topping hit, “Push 2 Start.”
The star-studded event, held on Sunday night in New York, saw artists from all over the world honored with the iconic “Moon Person” trophies. For Afrobeats, Tyla made history as she beat some of Nigeria’s biggest exports Asake, Burna Boy, Rema, Tems, and Wizkid in what many fans online described as “the toughest category of the night.”
The announcement, made official on Monday morning, was celebrated widely on social media as Tyla’s fans across the globe hailed her as a new face of Africa’s rising dominance in global music. Her win is not only a personal milestone but also a testament to the unstoppable wave of Afrobeats and African pop sounds taking over the world stage.
This year’s VMAs also spotlighted several other African heavyweights, with Asake, Burna Boy, Rema, Tems, and Ayra Starr earning nominations across major categories. Their inclusion reflects how Africa’s music scene is no longer on the fringes but at the very center of shaping global pop culture.
Tyla’s victory with “Push 2 Start” cements her status as one of the fastest-rising voices in the industry, and her win stands as proof of Afrobeats’ ever-expanding influence on the international music map.
