Tyla makes history with second MTV VMA win for Best Afrobeats
South African breakout star Tyla Laura Seethal continues to cement her global dominance after bagging the Best Afrobeats award at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards.
The 23-year-old Johannesburg native triumphed over a tough lineup that included Nigerian powerhouses Burna Boy, Rema, Wizkid, and Tems.
The star-studded ceremony took place on Sunday at the UBS Arena in New York, where Tyla made jaws drop on the red carpet in a vintage Chanel look from the Spring/Summer 1993 collection, an ultra-short beige minidress styled from a cropped top, paired with black shorts and gold medallions.
Beaming with excitement, she shared: “I am excited; honestly, this is amazing. The category was very tough, so shoutout to all the nominees, and shoutout to Africa, my team. It is just a blessing to be here, winning another award, so special.”
This marks Tyla’s second straight win in the category, following her 2024 victory with Water, the global hit that first propelled her into history books.
She also revealed that she had a very specific vision for her fashion moment: “With this outfit, I said, ‘put me in Chanel,’” she laughed.
The rising superstar was nominated in two categories—Best Afrobeats and Best Choreography, for her track Push 2 Start.
She teased fans with news of a new project on the way, saying: “It is coming, and it’s coming in hot, like, for real; just keep an eye out, but for now, keep an eye out for Chanels coming soon.”
This latest win adds to her growing list of accolades, which already includes a Grammy for Best African Music Performance in 2024 and a hosting gig at the Kids’ Choice Awards.
See the full list of winners:
Artist of the Year
Bad Bunny
Beyoncé
Kendrick Lamar
Lady Gaga — WINNER
Morgan Wallen
Taylor Swift
The Weeknd
Song of the Year
Alex Warren – ‘Ordinary’
Billie Eilish – ‘Birds of a Feather’
Doechii – ‘Anxiety’
Ed Sheeran – ‘Sapphire’
Gracie Abrams – ‘I Love You, I’m Sorry’
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – ‘Die With a Smile’
Lorde – ‘What Was That’
Rosé & Bruno Mars – ‘Apt.’ — WINNER
Tate McRae – ‘Sports Car’
The Weeknd & Playboi Carti – ‘Timeless’
Best New Artist
Alex Warren — WINNER
Ella Langley
Gigi Perez
Lola Young
Sombr
The Marías
MTV Push Performance of the Year
Ayra Starr – ‘Last Heartbreak Song’
Damiano David – ‘Next Summer’
Dasha – ‘Bye Bye Bye’
Gigi Perez – ‘Sailor Song’
Jordan Adetunji – ‘Kehlani’
Katseye – ‘Touch’ — WINNER
Lay Bankz – ‘Graveyard’
Leon Thomas – ‘Yes It Is’
Livingston – ‘Shadow’
Mark Ambor – ‘Belong Together’
Role Model – ‘Sally, When the Wine Runs Out’
Shaboozey – ‘A Bar Song (Tipsy)’
Best Collaboration
Bailey Zimmerman & Luke Combs – ‘Backup Plan’ (Stagecoach Official Music Video)
Kendrick Lamar & SZA – ‘Luther’
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – ‘Die With a Smile’ — WINNER
Post Malone ft. Blake Shelton – ‘Pour Me a Drink’
Rosé & Bruno Mars – ‘Apt.’
Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco – ‘Sunset Blvd’
Best Pop
Alex Warren – ‘Ordinary’
Ariana Grande – ‘Brighter Days Ahead’ — WINNER
Ed Sheeran – ‘Sapphire’
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – ‘Die With a Smile’
Rosé & Bruno Mars – ‘Apt.’
Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Manchild’
Best Hip-Hop
Doechii – ‘Anxiety’ — WINNER
Drake – ‘Nokia’
Eminem ft. Jelly Roll – ‘Somebody Save Me’
Glorilla ft. Sexyy Red – ‘Whatchu Kno About Me’
Kendrick Lamar – ‘Not Like Us’
LL Cool J ft. Eminem – ‘Murdergram Deux’
Travis Scott – ‘4×4’
Best Pop Artist
Ariana Grande
Charli XCX
Justin Bieber
Lorde
Miley Cyrus
Sabrina Carpenter — WINNER
Tate McRae
Video of the Year
Ariana Grande – ‘Brighter Days Ahead’ –WINNER
Billie Eilish – ‘Birds of a Feather’
Kendrick Lamar – ‘Not Like Us’
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – ‘Die With a Smile’
Rosé & Bruno Mars – ‘Apt.’
Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Manchild’
The Weeknd & Playboi Carti – ‘Timeless’
Best R&B
Chris Brown – ‘Residuals’
Leon Thomas & Freddie Gibbs – ‘Mutt (Remix)’
Mariah Carey – ‘Type Dangerous’ –WINNER
PartyNextDoor – ‘No Chill’
Summer Walker – ‘Heart of a Woman’
SZA – ‘Drive’
The Weeknd & Playboi Carti – ‘Timeless’
Best Alternative
Gigi Perez – ‘Sailor Song’
Imagine Dragons – ‘Wake Up’
Lola Young – ‘Messy’
MGK & Jelly Roll – ‘Lonely Road’
Sombr – ‘Back to Friends’ — WINNER
The Marías – ‘Back to Me’
Best Rock
Coldplay – ‘All My Love’ — WINNER
Evanescence – ‘Afterlife’
Green Day – ‘One Eyed Bastard’
Lenny Kravitz – ‘Honey’
Linkin Park – ‘The Emptiness Machine’
Twenty One Pilots – ‘The Contract’
Best Latin
Bad Bunny – ‘Baile Inolvidable’
J Balvin – ‘Rio’
Karol G – ‘Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido’
Peso Pluma – ‘La Patrulla’
Rauw Alejandro & Romeo Santos – ‘Khé?’
Shakira – ‘Soltera’ — WINNER
Best K-Pop
Aespa – Whiplash’
Jennie – ‘Like Jennie’
Jimin – ‘Who’
Jisoo – ‘Earthquake’
Lisa ft. Doja Cat & Raye – ‘Born Again’ — WINNER
Stray Kids – ‘Chk Chk Boom’
Rosé – ‘Toxic Till the End’
Best Afrobeats
Asake & Travis Scott – ‘Active’
Burna Boy ft. Travis Scott – ‘TaTaTa’
Moliy, Silent Addy, Skillibeng & Shenseea – ‘Shake It to the Max (Fly) (Remix)’
Rema – ‘Baby (Is It A Crime)’
Tems ft. Asake – ‘Get It Right’
Tyla – ‘Push 2 Start’ — WINNER
Wizkid ft. Brent Faiyaz – ‘Piece of My Heart’
Best Country
Chris Stapleton – ‘Think I’m in Love With You’
Cody Johnson & Carrie Underwood – ‘I’m Gonna Love You’
Jelly Roll – ‘Liar’
Lainey Wilson – ‘4x4xU’
Megan Moroney – ‘Am I Okay?’ — WINNER
Morgan Wallen – ‘Smile’
Best Album
Bad Bunny – ‘Debí Tirar Más Fotos’
Kendrick Lamar – ‘GNX’
Lady Gaga – ‘Mayhem’
Morgan Wallen – ‘I’m the Problem’
Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Short n’ Sweet’ — WINNER
The Weeknd – ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’
Best Long Form Video
Ariana Grande – ‘Brighter Days Ahead’ — WINNER
Bad Bunny – ‘Debí Tirar Más Fotos’
Damiano David – ‘Funny Little Stories’
Mac Miller – ‘Balloonerism’
Miley Cyrus – ‘Something Beautiful’
The Weeknd – ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’
Video for Good
Burna Boy – ‘Higher’
Charli XCX – ‘Guess’ ft. Billie Eilish — WINNER
Doechii – ‘Anxiety’
Eminem ft. Jelly Roll – ‘Somebody Save Me’
Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco – ‘Younger and Hotter Than Me’
Zach Hood ft. Sasha Alex Sloan – ‘Sleepwalking’
Best Direction
Ariana Grande – ‘Brighter Days Ahead’
Charli XCX – ‘Guess’ ft. Billie Eilish
Kendrick Lamar – ‘Not Like Us’
Lady Gaga – ‘Abracadabra’ — WINNER
Rosé & Bruno Mars – ‘Apt.’
Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Manchild’
Best Art Direction
Charli XCX – ‘Guess’ ft. Billie Eilish
Kendrick Lamar – ‘Not Like Us’
Lady Gaga – ‘Abracadabra’ — WINNER
Lorde – ‘Man of the Year’
Miley Cyrus – ‘End of the World’
Rosé & Bruno Mars – ‘Apt.’
Best Cinematography
Ariana Grande – ‘Brighter Days Ahead’
Ed Sheeran – ‘Sapphire’
Kendrick Lamar – ‘Not Like Us’ — WINNER
Lady Gaga – ‘Abracadabra’
Miley Cyrus – ‘Easy Lover’
Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Manchild’
Best Editing
Charli XCX – ‘Guess’ ft. Billie Eilish
Ed Sheeran – ‘Sapphire’
Kendrick Lamar – ‘Not Like Us’
Lady Gaga – ‘Abracadabra’
Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Manchild’
Tate McRae – ‘Just Keep Watching’ — WINNER
Best Choreography
Doechii – ‘Anxiety’ — WINNER
FKA twigs – ‘Eusexua’
Kendrick Lamar – ‘Not Like Us’
Lady Gaga – ‘Abracadabra’
Tyla – ‘Push 2 Start’
Zara Larsson – ‘Pretty Ugly’
Best Visual Effects
Ariana Grande – ‘Brighter Days Ahead’
Lady Gaga – ‘Abracadabra’
Rosé & Bruno Mars – ‘Apt.’
Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Manchild’ — WINNER
Tate McRae – ‘Just Keep Watching’
The Weeknd – ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’
