Tyla Clinches Best Afrobeats Award At 2024 MTV VMAs, Beating Major Nigerian Artists

South African singer Tyla made history at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards by winning the Best Afrobeats category with her hit song “Water.” The prestigious award ceremony, held on September 11 at New York’s UBS Arena, saw Tyla surpass renowned Nigerian artists such as Ayra Starr, Burna Boy, and Tems for the coveted title.

“Water,” Tyla’s debut single, has skyrocketed her to international fame. Earlier this year, the track earned her the Best New Artist accolade at the 2024 BET Awards, and in February, it helped her secure the first-ever Grammy for Best African Music Performance.

While Tyla celebrated her success, Taylor Swift dominated the night with seven wins from 12 nominations, and her collaborator Post Malone followed closely, taking home five awards. The duo’s collaboration, “Fortnight,” won Video of the Year, marking another highlight of the star-studded evening.

Full list of Winners

 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

 

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

 

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

Stray Kids – “LALALALA” – JYP Entertainment / Imperial / Republic Records

TOMORROW X TOGETHER – “Deja vu” – BIGHIT MUSIC / IMPERIAL / Republic Records

 

Video for good

Alexander Stewart – “if you only knew” – FAE grp

WINNER: Billie Eilish – “What Was I Made For (From Barbie)” – Darkroom / Interscope Records

Coldplay – “feelslikeimfallinginlove” – Atlantic Records

Joyner Lucas & Jelly Roll – “Best for Me” – Twenty Nine Music Group

RAYE – “Genesis.” – Human Re Sources

Tyler Childers – “In Your Love” – Hickman Holler Records / RCA Records

 

MTV push performance of the year

August 2023: Kaliii – “Area Codes” – Atlantic Records

September 2023: GloRilla – “Lick or Sum” – CMG / Interscope Records

October 2023: Benson Boone – “In The Stars” – Night Street Records, Inc. / Warner Records

November 2023: Coco Jones – “ICU” – Def Jam

December 2023: Victoria Monét – “On My Mama” – Lovett Music / RCA Records

January 2024: Jessie Murph – “Wild Ones” – Columbia Records

February 2024: Teddy Swims – “Lose Control” – Warner Records

March 2024: Chappell Roan – “Red Wine Supernova” – Island

April 2024: Flyana Boss – “yeaaa” – vnclm_/ Atlantic Records

May 2024: Laufey – “Goddess” – Laufey / AWAL

June 2024: LE SSERAFIM – “EASY” – SOURCE MUSIC / Geffen Records

July 2024: The Warning – “Automatic Sun” – Lava / Republic 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

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

 

Technical awards

Best direction

Ariana Grande – “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” – Republic Records; directed by Christian Breslauer

Bleachers – “Tiny Moves” – Dirty Hit; directed by Alex Lockett & Margaret Qualley

Eminem – “Houdini” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records; directed by Rich Lee

Megan Thee Stallion – “BOA” – Hot Girl Productions; directed by Daniel Iglesias Jr.

Sabrina Carpenter – “Please Please Please” – Island; directed by Barbia Zeinali

WINNER: Taylor Swift feat. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records; directed by Taylor Swift

 

Best cinematography

WINNER: Ariana Grande – “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” – Republic Records; cinematography by Anatol Trofimov

Charli XCX – “Von dutch” – Atlantic Records; cinematography by Jeff Bierman

Dua Lipa – “Illusion” – Warner Records; cinematography by Nikita Nuzmenko

Olivia Rodrigo – “obsessed” – Geffen Records; cinematography by Marz Miller

Rauw Alejandro – “Touching the Sky” – Sony Music Latin / Duars Entertainment; cinematography by Camilo Monsalve

Taylor Swift feat. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records; cinematography by Rodrigo Prieto

 

Best editing

Anitta – “Mil Veces” – Floresta Records / Republic Records / Universal Music Latin Entertainment; editing by Nick Yumul

Ariana Grande – “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” – Republic Records; editing by Luis Caraza Peimbert

Eminem – “Houdini” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records; editing by David Checel

LISA – “Rockstar” – Lloud Co. / RCA Records; editing by Nik Kohler

Sabrina Carpenter – “Espresso” – Island; editing by Jai Shukla

WINNER: Taylor Swift feat. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records; editing by Chancler Haynes

 

Best choreography

Bleachers – Tiny Moves – Dirty Hit; choreography by Margaret Qualley

WINNER: Dua Lipa – “Houdini” – Warner Records; choreography by Charm La’Donna

LISA – “Rockstar” – Lloud Co. / RCA Records; choreography by Sean Bankhead

Rauw Alejandro – “Touching the Sky” – Sony Music Latin / Duars Entertainment – Choreography by Felix ‘Fefe’ Burgos

Tate McRae – “Greedy” – RCA Records; choreography by Sean Bankhead

Troye Sivan – “Rush” – Capitol Records; choreography by Sergio Reis, Mauro Van De Kerkof

 

Best visual effects

Ariana Grande – “the boy is mine” – Republic Records; visual effects by Digital Axis

WINNER: Eminem – “Houdini” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records; visual effects by Synapse Virtual Production, Louise Lee, Rich Lee, Metaphysic, Flawless Post

Justin Timberlake – “Selfish” – RCA Records; visual effects by Candice Dragonas

Megan Thee Stallion – “BOA” – Hot Girl Productions; visual effects by Mathematic

Olivia Rodrigo – “get him back!” – Geffen Records; visual effects by Cooper Vacheron, Preston Mohr, Karen Arakelian, Justin Johnson

Taylor Swift feat. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records; visual effects by Parliament

 

Best art direction

Charli XCX – “360” – Atlantic Records; art direction by Grace Surnow

LISA – “Rockstar” – Lloyd Co. / RCA Records; art direction byPongsan Thawatwichian

WINNER: Megan Thee Stallion – “BOA” – Hot Girl Productions; art direction by Brittany Porter

Olivia Rodrigo – “bad idea right?” – Geffen Records; art direction by Nichaolas des Jardins

Sabrina Carpenter – “Please Please Please” – Island; art direction by Nicholas des Jardins

Taylor Swift feat. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records; art direction by Ethan Tobman

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