South African sensation Tyla stunned the audience at the 2024 MTV EMAs, clinching the prestigious Best Afrobeats award and triumphing over fierce competition from industry heavyweights such as Asake, Ayra Starr, Burna Boy, Rema, and Tems.
This historic win was just one of three awards Tyla took home, making her the first African artist to achieve such a feat at the MTV Europe Music Awards.
Her success not only highlights her distinctive artistry but also marks a significant milestone for African representation on the global stage.
Tyla is the first African artiste to win three awards in one night at the MTV EMAs.
She won the Best Afrobeats Award, Best R&B Award, and Best African Act Award at the 2024 MTV EMAs.
PUNCH Online reports that the results for the 2024 MTV EMAs were disclosed on the organisers’ official account on X.
For the show’s 30th anniversary, the MTV Europe Music Awards returned to the UK, with Manchester’s Co-op Live serving as the official venue for music’s biggest global celebration on Sunday, 10 November.
Reacting to her win, Tyla quoted a tweet from the organisers and thanked her fans, posting, “Thank you Tygers once again! 🐅💕 Y’all are insane!”
PUNCH Online, however, reports that Tyla was a “surprising miss” in the full 2025 Grammy nominations announced on Friday.
Earlier in July, Tyla was named Best New Artist at the BET Awards 2024, beating Ayra Starr and Asake to the award.
Tyla’s debut single, Water, catapulted her to global fame and earned her several accolades, including the inaugural Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance in February 2024.
2024 MTV EMAs biggest wins
Voting opened with Taylor Swift leading the pack with seven nominations, including Best Artist, Best Video, Best Pop, and Biggest Fans.
Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, Charli XCX, and Sabrina Carpenter followed closely—each with five nominations across categories such as Best Song, Best Video, and Best Artist.
People reports that other top contenders with four nominations each included Ayra Starr, Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Lisa, and first-time nominees Chappell Roan and Tyla.
Kehlani and Tinashe were among the 19 nominees up for their first-ever MTV EMA nomination.
PUNCH Online reports that the MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs) is an annual awards ceremony established in 1994 by MTV to celebrate and honour achievements in the music industry, specifically targeting European audiences.
The event is modelled after the iconic MTV Video Music Awards but focuses on European and global artists, recognising music across various genres and regions.
Each year, the awards are held in a different European city, making it a cultural and music highlight, with past locations including Berlin, Paris, and London.
Here is the full list of 2024 MTV EMAs winners below:
BEST SONG
- Ariana Grande – “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)”
- Benson Boone – “Beautiful Things”
- Beyoncé – “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM”
- Billie Eilish – “BIRDS OF A FEATHER”
- Chappell Roan – “Good Luck, Babe!”
- Sabrina Carpenter – “Espresso” – WINNER
BEST VIDEO
- Ariana Grande – “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)”
- Charli xcx – “360”
- Eminem – “Houdini”
- Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us”
- LISA ft. Rosalía – “NEW WOMAN”
- Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – WINNER
BEST ARTIST
- Beyoncé
- Billie Eilish
- Post Malone
- RAYE
- Sabrina Carpenter
- Taylor Swift — WINNER
BEST COLLABORATION
- Charli xcx & Billie Eilish – “Guess” featuring Billie Eilish
- Future, Metro Boomin & Kendrick Lamar – “Like That”
- Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars – “Die With a Smile”
- LISA ft. Rosalía – “NEW WOMAN” — WINNER
- Peso Pluma, Anitta – “BELLAKEO”
- Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – “Fortnight”
BEST NEW
- Ayra Starr
- Benson Boone — WINNER
- Chappell Roan
- LE SSERAFIM
- Teddy Swims
- The Last Dinner Party
- Tyla
BEST POP
- Ariana Grande — WINNER
- Billie Eilish
- Camila Cabello
- Charli xcx
- Dua Lipa
- Sabrina Carpenter
- Taylor Swift
BEST AFROBEATS
- Asake
- Ayra Starr
- Burna Boy
- Rema
- Tems
- Tyla – WINNER
BEST ROCK
- Bon Jovi
- Coldplay
- Green Day
- Kings of Leon
- Lenny Kravitz
- Liam Gallagher – WINNER
- The Killers
BEST LATIN
- Anitta
- Bad Bunny
- KAROL G
- Peso Pluma — WINNER
- Rauw Alejandro
- Shakira
BEST K-POP
- Jimin — WINNER
- Jung Kook
- LE SSERAFIM
- LISA
- NewJeans
- Stray Kids
BEST ALTERNATIVE
- Fontaines D.C.
- Hozier
- Imagine Dragons — WINNER
- Lana Del Rey
- Twenty One Pilots
- YUNGBLUD
BEST ELECTRONIC
- Calvin Harris – WINNER
- David Guetta
- Disclosure
- DJ Snake
- Fred Again..
- Swedish House Mafia
BEST HIP-HOP
- Central Cee
- Eminem — WINNER
- Kendrick Lamar
- Megan Thee Stallion
- Nicki Minaj
- Travis Scott
BEST R&B
- Kehlani
- SZA
- Tinashe
- Tyla — WINNER
- Usher
- Victoria Monét
BEST LIVE
- Adele
- Coldplay
- Doja Cat
- RAYE
- Taylor Swift — WINNER
- Travis Scott
BEST PUSH
- Ayra Starr
- Chappell Roan
- Coco Jones
- Flyana Boss
- Jessie Murph
- Laufey
LE SSERAFIM — WINNER
- Mark Ambor
- Shaboozey
- Teddy Swims
- The Warning
- Victoria Monét