2024 Grammys: South African Singer Tyla Took the Heavily Contested Golden Gramophone for Her Song "Water"

TYLA. PHOTO: ROBERT GAUTHIER / LOS ANGELES TIMES VIA GETTY IMAGES

The 2024 GRAMMYs marked a historic occasion for African music, as the prestigious awards show introduced the inaugural Best African Music Performance category. This new accolade, along with two other additions, was created to celebrate the vibrant and diverse African music scene that has been gaining global recognition and influence. The coveted trophy went to the newcomer Tyla, who stunned the world with her song “Water.”

Tyla faced formidable rivals in the category: Burna Boy (“City Boys”) and Davido (“Unavailable” feat. Musa Keys), two of the most prominent and acclaimed Afrobeats artists, who both earned their first GRAMMY nominations this year — four for Burna and three for Davido. Burna had already secured a GRAMMY win at the previous edition, taking home the Best Global Music Album award for Twice as Tall.

But none of them could match the colossal success of “Water.” The sensual, Amapiano-inspired pop song broke into the Billboard Hot 100 in October of last year, making 22-year-old Tyla the first South African to appear on the chart since Hugh Masekela in 1968, and the youngest South African ever to do so. It also dominated Billboard’s US Afrobeats Songs chart, climbed to No. 5 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and reached its peak at number seven on the Hot 100.

Tyla was visibly shocked as she received the award during the GRAMMYs Premiere Ceremony, saying “I never thought I’d say I won a GRAMMY at 22 years old…Last year God decided to change my whole life, so thank you so much to God. Thank you to my team, my family. I know my mother’s crying somewhere in here...”

As the South African walked to the stage, the iconic Nigerian musician Fela Kuti’s classic Afrobeat song “Water No Get Enemy” played in the background, creating a symbolic connection between Tyla’s “Water” and Fela’s “Water” and the two musical powerhouse nations. Coincidentally, the two countries’ soccer teams will face each other this week in the Africa Cup of Nations tournament, and fans are already gearing up for a showdown between the two competitors.

As the BBC reported from one commenter after Tyla’s win, “South Africa won today but Nigeria will win on Wednesday where it matters most.” It’s a moment that would have been unthinkable a year ago, but thanks to the GRAMMYs, it is now a reality.