South African music star Tyla has emerged as one of the biggest winners at the 2026 American Music Awards after beating top African artists including Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Rema in the Best Afrobeats Artist category.
The glamorous award ceremony took place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and was hosted by legendary rapper and actress Queen Latifah.
Tyla, whose full name is Tyla Seethal, took home two awards on the night, making her the only African artist to win at this year’s event.
The 24-year-old singer won the fan-voted Best Afrobeats Artist award ahead of Nigerian superstars Burna Boy, Wizkid, Rema, and Ghanaian-American singer MOLIY.
She also secured the Social Song of the Year award for her hit track “CHANEL,” further cementing her growing international success.
Although Tyla was absent from the ceremony, her double victory has sparked major conversations online, especially among Afrobeats fans across Africa.
The singer had already made history before the event as the most nominated African artist ever at the AMAs, receiving four nominations in total, including Best Female R&B Artist and Best Music Video for “CHANEL.”
Released in October 2025, “CHANEL” became a global success, gathering over 320 million streams on Spotify and topping charts in different countries.
The song followed the massive success of her breakout hit “Water,” which gained worldwide attention and pushed Tyla into global stardom.
Her latest win has also reignited debates online about whether her sound should strictly be classified as Afrobeats, as her music blends amapiano, pop, R&B, and Afrobeats influences.
Other major winners at the 2026 AMAs included BTS, who won Artist of the Year, while Sabrina Carpenter picked up Album of the Year for Man’s Best Friend.
Cardi B, Bruno Mars, Shakira, and Bad Bunny also secured major wins in their respective categories.
Selected Winners At AMA 2026
• Artist of the Year: BTS
• Album of the Year: Sabrina Carpenter — Man’s Best Friend
• Song of the Year: HUNTR/X — “Golden”
• Best Afrobeats Artist: Tyla
• Best Male Hip-Hop Artist: Kendrick Lamar
• Best Female Hip-Hop Artist: Cardi B
• Best Male R&B Artist: Bruno Mars
• Best Female R&B Artist: SZA
• Best Female Latin Artist: Shakira
Tyla’s latest achievement marks another major milestone for African music on the global stage.
Source: 52nd American Music Awards (AMA) winners list.
