South African superstar Tyla won her first MTV Video Music Award (VMA) this year, and her acceptance speech carried a powerful message for the global music industry: African music is rich, diverse, and far more than just Afrobeats.
Held yesterday at the UBS Arena in Queens, New York, the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards had Megan Thee Stallion as the host. This year marked another milestone for African music, as Tyla took home the award for Best Afrobeats with her chart-topping hit “Water.” She was in the “Best Afrobeats” category alongside Burna Boy, Tems, Tyla, Davido, Ayra Starr, Lojay, and Pheelz and was also nominated for “Best New Artist,” and “Best RnB.”
After being presented with her award by Lil Nas X and Halle Bailey, Tyla expressed her gratitude to the organisers of the show and described her win as “a big moment for Africa,” adding that the success of “Water” not only made a global impact but also proved that “African music can be pop music too.”
“Like this is just so special but also bittersweet, because I know there’s a tendency to group all African artists under Afrobeats,” she said. “African music is so diverse, it’s more than just Afrobeats.”
Tyla’s win follows the success of Rema, who took home the inaugural Best Afrobeats award last year for his hit song “Calm Down” featuring Selena Gomez.
Meanwhile, Taylor Swift dominated the night with seven wins, tying for most overall, while Eminem claimed the most solo male artist wins.
Watch Tyla receive her award below:
But who else won big? We compiled a complete list of the MTV VMAs 2024 winners below:
Artist of The Year
Ariana Grande – Republic Records
Bad Bunny – Rimas Entertainment
Eminem – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records
Sabrina Carpenter – Island
SZA – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
WINNER: Taylor Swift – Republic Records
Video of The Year
Ariana Grande – “We can’t be friends (wait for your love)” – Republic Records
Billie Eilish – “Lunch” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
Doja Cat – “Paint the Town Red” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
Eminem – “Houdini” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records
SZA – “Snooze” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
WINNER: Taylor Swift feat. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records
Song of The Year
Beyoncé – “Texas Hold ‘Em” – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records
Jack Harlow – “Lovin on Me” – Generation Now / Atlantic Records
Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us” – pgLang, under exclusive license to Interscope Records
WINNER: Sabrina Carpenter – “Espresso” – Island
Taylor Swift feat. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records
Teddy Swims – “Lose Control” – Warner Records
Best New Artist
WINNER: Chappell Roan – Island
Gracie Abrams – Interscope Records
Tyla – Epic Records
Best Collaboration
Drake feat. Sexyy Red & SZA – “Rich Baby Daddy “ – OVO / Republic Records
GloRilla, Megan Thee Stallion – “Wanna Be” – CMG / Interscope Records
Jessie Murph feat. Jelly Roll – “Wild Ones” – Columbia Records
Jung Kook feat. Latto – “Seven” – BIGHIT MUSIC / Geffen Records
Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen – “I Had Some Help” – Mercury / Republic / Big Loud
WINNER: Taylor Swift feat. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records
Best Pop
Camila Cabello – Geffen / Interscope Records
Dua Lipa – Warner Records
Olivia Rodrigo – Geffen Records
Sabrina Carpenter – Island
Tate McRae – RCA Records
WINNER: Taylor Swift – Republic Records
Best Hip-hop
Drake feat. Sexyy Red & SZA – “Rich Baby Daddy “ – OVO / Republic Records
WINNER: Eminem – “Houdini” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records
GloRilla – “Yeah Glo!” – CMG / Interscope Records
Gunna – “fukumean” – Young Stoner Life Records / 300 Entertainment
Megan Thee Stallion – “BOA” – Hot Girl Productions
Travis Scott feat. Playboi Carti – “FE!N” – Cactus Jack / Epic Records
Best R&B
Alicia Keys – “Lifeline” – AK Records, under exclusive license to gamma.
Muni Long – “Made for Me” – Def Jam
WINNER: SZA – “Snooze” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
Tyla – “Water” – FAX Records / Epic Records
Usher, Summer Walker, 21 Savage – “Good Good” – mega / gamma.
Victoria Monét – “On My Mama” – Lovett Music / RCA Records
Best Alternative
WINNER: Benson Boone – “Beautiful Things” – Night Street Records, Inc. / Warner Records
Bleachers – “Tiny Moves” – Dirty Hit
Hozier – “Too Sweet” – Columbia Records
Imagine Dragons – “Eyes Closed” – KIDinaKorner / Interscope Records
Linkin Park – “Friendly Fire” – This Compilation / Warner Records
Teddy Swims – “Lose Control (Live)” – Warner Records
Best Rock
Bon Jovi – “Legendary” – Island
Coldplay – “feelslikeimfallinginlove” – Atlantic Records
Green Day – “Dilemma” – Reprise Records / Warner Records
Kings of Leon – “Mustang” – Capitol Records
WINNER: Lenny Kravitz – “Human” – ℗© 2024 Roxie Records Inc. under exclusive license to BMG Rights Management GmbH
U2 – “Atomic City” – Interscope Records
Best Latin
WINNER: Anitta – “Mil Veces” – Floresta Records / Republic Records / Universal Music Latin Entertainment
Bad Bunny – “Monaco” – Rimas Entertainment
Karol G – “Mi Ex Tenía Razón” – Bichota / Interscope Records
Myke Towers – “LaLa” – Warner Music Latina
Peso Pluma & Anitta – “Bellakeo” – Double P Records
Rauw Alejandro – “Touching the Sky” – Sony Music Latin / Duars Entertainment
Shakira & Cardi B – “Puntería” – Sony Music US Latin
Best Afrobeats
Ayra Starr ft. Giveon – “Last Heartbreak Song” – Mavin / Republic
Burna Boy – “City Boys” – Spaceship / Bad Habit / Atlantic Records
Chris Brown ft. Davido & Lojay – “Sensational” – Chris Brown Entertainment / RCA Records
Tems – “Love Me JeJe” – Since ’93 / RCA Records
WINNER: Tyla – “Water” – FAX Records / Epic Records
Usher, Pheelz – “Ruin” – mega / gamma
Best K-pop
Jung Kook ft. Latto – “Seven” – BIGHIT MUSIC / Geffen Records
WINNER: LISA – “Rockstar” – Lloud Co. / RCA Records
NCT Dream – “Smoothie” – SM Entertainment / Virgin Music Group
NewJeans – “Super Shy” – ADOR / Geffen Records
VMAs Most Iconic Performance
Beyoncé – “Love on Top” (2011)
Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Madonna, Missy Elliott – “Like a Virgin” & “Hollywood” (2003)
Eminem – “The Real Slim Shady” & “The Way I Am” (2000)
WINNER: Katy Perry – “Roar” (2013)
Lady Gaga – “Paparazzi” (2009)
Madonna – “Like a Virgin” (1984)
Taylor Swift – “You Belong With Me” (2009)
Best Trending Video
Beyoncé – “Texas Hold ‘Em” – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records
Camila Cabello feat. Playboi Carti – “I Luv It” – Geffen / Interscope Records
Chappell Roan – “Hot to Go!” – Amusement Records / Island Records, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Charli XCX – “Apple” – Atlantic Records
WINNER: Megan Thee Stallion feat. Yuki Chiba – “Mamushi” – Hot Girl Productions
Tinashe – “Nasty” – Nice Life Recording Company
Best Group
*NSYNC – RCA Records
Coldplay – Atlantic Records
Imagine Dragons – KIDinaKorner / Interscope Records
NCT Dream – SM Entertainment / Virgin Music Group
NewJeans – ADOR / Geffen Records
WINNER: SEVENTEEN – PLEDIS Entertainment / Geffen Records
TOMORROW X TOGETHER – BIGHIT MUSIC / IMPERIAL / Republic Records
Twenty One Pilots – Fueled By Ramen
Song of Summer
Ariana Grande – “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” – Republic Records
Benson Boone – “Beautiful Things” – Night Street Records, Inc. / Warner Records
Billie Eilish – “Birds of a Feather” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
Chappell Roan – “Good Luck, Babe!” – Amusement Records / Island Records, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Charli XCX & Billie Eilish – “Guess featuring Billie Eilish” – Atlantic Records
Eminem – “Houdini” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records
Future, Metro Boomin & Kendrick Lamar – “Like That” – Wilburn Holding Co. / Boominati / Epic / Republic
GloRilla, Megan Thee Stallion – “Wanna Be” – CMG / Interscope Records
Hozier – “Too Sweet” – Columbia Records
Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us” – pgLang, under exclusive license to Interscope Records
Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen – “I Had Some Help” – Mercury / Republic / Big Loud
Sabrina Carpenter – “Please Please Please” – Island
Shaboozey – “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” – American Dogwood / EMPIRE
SZA – “Saturn” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
WINNER: Taylor Swift feat. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records
Tommy Richman – “Million Dollar Baby” – ISO Supremacy / PULSE Records / Concord
