South African Artiste, Tyla Wins MTV VMA the ‘Best Afrobeats’ award at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, over top Nigerian nominees including Ayra Starr, Burna Boy, Wizkid, Rema, Tems, and Asake.
Tyla clinched the win with her global hit Push 2 Start, thus cementing her position as one of the leading voices in African music on the international stage.
This announcement has however sparked heated debate online, especially around Ayra Starr, who many fans believed was the favorite to win the prize.
On X (formerly Twitter), fans voiced their disappointment, claiming Ayra Starr was “robbed.”
A certain Incognito(not real name) wrote
“Ayra Starr had the biggest Afrobeats anthems this year, how do you ignore that?”
Another added;
“The VMAs Not recognizing Ayra is a sinned, she performed everywhere, pushed Afrobeats globally, and still didn’t win.”
Other fans accused MTV of favoring Tyla because of her mainstream crossover appeal.
“Awards always go to who’s more marketable, not by the metrics of who truly represents Afrobeats, Ayra is the Gen Z queen of Afrobeats, but politics has been played again,” a user named Tinubu ex argued.
Nevertheless, Tyla’s fans defended her, pointing that her international dominance gave her an edge over Ayra Starr,“Push 2 Start wasn’t just an Afrobeats song, it was a global smash. Tyla deserves this win,”
one wrote, another user also said,“Tyla has been consistent, breaking records and bringing South Africa into the Afrobeats conversation, please give her flowers.”
Several music analysts are of the opinion that the outcome reflects a mix of global reach, visibility, and industry politics.
While talking to Chidimma Johnson, A MUSON certified said,
“Ayra Starr’s Commas became a cultural anthem and she enjoyed a good run of performances all over Africa, certain parts of Europe, and the U.S but Tyla’s Push 2 Start gained stronger traction on streaming platforms, TikTok trends, and international radio rotations, thus, she deserves the win”.
The voting system of MTV which blends fan votes with industry considerations, may also have favored Tyla due to her viral appeal and crossover-friendly style, that resonated with voters beyond the Afrobeats community.
“Both Tyla and Ayra had incredible years,” a Lagos-based music critic, Israel Adekoya said.
“But Tyla’s ability to merge Afrobeats with pop aesthetics gave her an edge. MTV would always pick artists who break into wider audiences over others.”He further stated.
Despite not winning, Ayra Starr’s nomination alone solidifies her status as a global Afrobeats powerhouse and sets the stage for more recognition.
For Tyla on the other hand, the win has not only added to her awards cabinet but also signals her growing dominance in shaping the international soundscape of African music.
