South African Afrobeats sensation Tyla took home the MTV Video Music Award for Best Afrobeats with her chart-topping hit, “Water.”
In a competitive category, Tyla edged out Nigerian Grammy winners Burna Boy, Ayra Starr, and Tems to claim the coveted award. The honor was presented by Halle Bailey and Lil Nas X in Elmont, New York.
During her acceptance speech, Tyla celebrated the rise of African music on the global stage, giving a special shoutout to stars like Wizkid, Burna Boy, and Tems.
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“This is such a huge moment for Africa and African music,” Tyla remarked. “The global success of ‘Water’ shows that African music has the power to be pop music too. It’s special, but it’s also important to remember that African music is incredibly diverse—there’s so much more to it than just Afrobeats.”
The votes are IN, and @Tyllaaaaaaa is the #VMAs winner for Best Afrobeats 👏 pic.twitter.com/xa2URrErlq
— Video Music Awards (@vmas) September 12, 2024
Find the full list of winners below:
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
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
