Tyla wins the BET Awards over Arya Starr and Asake

On Monday’s BET Awards 2024, South African artist Tyla took up the Best New Artist title.

She emerged as the winner over her fellow artistes Ayra Starr, 41, 4Batz, Bossman Dlow, Fridayy, October London, and Sexyy Red to clinch the Best New Artist award early on Monday morning to win the BET Awards 2024.

Tyla’s breakthrough came after her song, “Water,” shot her to international recognition and won her multiple awards, including the first-ever Grammy for Best African Music Performance in February 2024.

In her acceptance speech, Tyla said, “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.”

Laura Seethal, popularly known as Tyla, is a well-known singer and composer from South Africa. Raised in Johannesburg, she got a record deal with Epic Records in 2021 after her 2019 debut single “Getting Late” (with Kooldrink) became popular domestically.

Tyla became well-known worldwide after her 2023 song “Water” was released and peaked at number ten in sixteen countries, including the US and the UK. “Water” won the first-ever Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance in 2024. It was the first solo single by a South African artist to reach the US Billboard Hot 100 in 55 years.

The single was released ahead of her self-titled debut album (2024), which debuted in six countries, including the US, in the top 25 and was met with both critical and commercial acclaim upon its release.

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In addition to being nominated for a BRIT Award, a Soul Train Music Award, a MOBO Award, and two South African Music Awards, Tyla is the youngest African singer to win a Grammy Award. A mix of pop and amapiano, she’s been dubbed the “Queen of Popiano.

She defeated Asake, Ayra Starr, Aya Nakamura (France), and other international performers to win the title of “Best International Act.”