South African artist, Tyla stole the show for Africans at the 2024 MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs), dominating the ceremony with three impressive wins.
Tyla walked away with the coveted titles of Best R&B, Best African Act, and Best Afrobeats, marking a career milestone for the rising star who shot to limelight with her hit single, Water.
In the Best Afrobeats category, Tyla beat some of Nigeria’s biggest stars, including Ayra Starr, Asake, Burna Boy, Rema, and Tems to the award, further highlighting her global appeal after her win at the Grammys earlier this year.
Tyla also claimed the Best African Act award, defeating a strong field of contenders that included Ayra Starr, Asake, DBN Gogo, TitoM & Yuppe, and Diamond Platnumz. The wins cement her place as one of the top emerging talents on the continent.
Meanwhile, Ayra Starr, one of the night’s most nominated artists, unfortunately went home empty-handed. Starr, who had four nominations across multiple categories—including Best African Act, Best New Artist, Best Afrobeats, and Best Push—was unable to secure any awards.
The night was also a major win for global superstar Taylor Swift, who was the biggest winner of the evening, taking home four awards. Swift claimed Best US Act, Best Video, Best Artist, and Best Live, further solidifying her dominance in the music industry.
The ceremony, which took place on Sunday night in Manchester, England, was hosted by Rita Ora, who also took a moment during the event to honor former One Direction singer and TV personality, Payne.
Payne tragically passed away last month at the age of 31 after a fall from a balcony in Argentina, and Ora paid tribute to the late star, acknowledging his impact on the music world.
Full List of 2024 MTV EMAs Winners:
BEST SONG
Sabrina Carpenter – Espresso
BEST VIDEO
Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – Fortnight
BEST ARTIST
Taylor Swift
BEST COLLABORATION
LISA ft. Rosalía – NEW WOMAN
BEST NEW
Benson Boone
BEST POP
Ariana Grande
BEST AFROBEATS
Tyla
BEST ROCK
Liam Gallagher
BEST LATIN
Peso Pluma
BEST K-POP
Jimin
BEST ALTERNATIVE
Imagine Dragons
BEST ELECTRONIC
Calvin Harris
BEST HIP-HOP
Eminem
BEST R&B
Tyla
BEST LIVE
Taylor Swift
BEST PUSH
LE SSERAFIM
BIGGEST FANS
LISA
BEST AFRICAN ACT
Tyla
BEST ASIA ACT
BINI
BEST AUSTRALIAN ACT
Sia
BEST AUSTRIAN ACT
RAF Camora
BEST BRAZILIAN ACT
Pabllo Vittar
BEST CANADIAN ACT
Shawn Mendes
BEST CARIBBEAN ACT
Young Miko
BEST DUTCH ACT
Roxy Dekker
BEST FRENCH ACT
Pierre Garnier
BEST GERMAN ACT
AYLIVA
BEST INDIA ACT
Mali
BEST ISRAELI ACT
Noa Kirel
BEST ITALIAN ACT
Annalisa
BEST LAT AM CENTRAL ACT
Manuel Turizo
BEST LAT AM NORTH ACT
YeriMua
BEST LAT AM SOUTH ACT
Dillom
BEST NORDIC ACT
Zara Larsson
BEST POLISH ACT
Daria Zawiałow
BEST PORTUGUESE ACT
Bárbara Bandeira
BEST SPANISH ACT
Lola Indigo
BEST SWISS ACT
Nemo
BEST U.K. & IRELAND ACT
RAYE
BEST U.S. ACT
Taylor Swift
