LagosExplorer reports: South African singer Tyla has once again outshined Nigeria’s Afrobeats heavyweights after clinching the Best Afrobeats award at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) held on Sunday night at the UBS Arena in New York.
The rising global star won the award with her hit track “Push 2 Start,” beating a strong lineup of Nigerian nominees including Burna Boy, Rema, Asake, Wizkid, and Tems. The victory marks her second consecutive win in this highly competitive category, cementing her place as one of the biggest African voices on the world stage.
Despite being the pioneers and global flagbearers of Afrobeats, Nigerian artistes endured a disappointing night. Ayra Starr, nominated for MTV Push Performance of the Year, and Burna Boy, who was in the race for Video for Good, also failed to pick up awards.
Elsewhere at the glamorous event, American pop icon Lady Gaga emerged as the biggest winner of the night, walking away with four major awards: Artist of the Year, Best Direction, Best Collaboration, and Best Art Direction.
The MTV VMAs, known for celebrating the best in global music and youth culture, introduced the Best Afrobeats category in 2023 following the genre’s massive international success. Since then, Nigerian stars have been frontrunners, but Tyla’s repeat victory signals a possible shift in the global Afrobeats narrative.