South African sensation Tyla clinched the Best New Artiste title at the 2024 BET Awards held at the Peacock Theater in Downtown Los Angeles on Monday.
The 22-year-old artiste’s debut single, “Water,” propelled her to global stardom, earning her numerous accolades, including the inaugural Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance in February 2024, making her the youngest African artist to receive a Grammy.
Tyla triumphed over a strong lineup of contenders, including Ayra Starr, 41, 4Batz, Bossman Dlow, Fridayy, October London, and Sexyy Red, to secure the Best New Artist award.
In her acceptance speech, Tyla expressed her gratitude and dedicated the award to Africa: “This is such a gift to be here. I want to dedicate this one to Africa. I want to dedicate this to all the African superstars before me that didn’t get these opportunities that I’m getting. This is just amazing. Africa to the world, guys.”
Tyla also took home the award for Best International Act, surpassing competitors like Asake, Ayra Starr, and Aya Nakamura from France.
Meanwhile, other African artistes, including Burna Boy, Tems, and Seyi Vibes, have received nominations in categories that have yet to be awarded.
