South African pop sensation Tyla has made history by clinching her second straight MTV Video Music Award for Best Afrobeats with her global hit “Push 2 Start” at the 2025 VMAs, held at UBS Arena in New York.

Tyla dazzled on the red carpet in a vintage 1993 Chanel top repurposed as a micro-mini dress, accessorized with gold chains, medallions, and jewelry from Pandora, enhancing the look with a dramatic black bob, sleek makeup, green nails, and Christian Louboutin heels.

“Push 2 Start”: Certified Global Hit

“Push 2 Start” is a fast-paced track that has earned platinum certification in Brazil and New Zealand, gold in Canada, Greece, and the U.S., and silver in the UK. Released in October 2024, it’s not only a chart-topping single but also a cross-cultural phenomenon.

Tyla’s 2025 win adds to her VMA triumph for “Water” in 2024—the first South African to secure a Moonman in the Afrobeats category. Her back-to-back victories highlight her powerful impact on global pop music and her role in elevating African sounds internationally.

At this year’s ceremony, Tyla topped heavyweights like Burna Boy, Tems, Rema, Moliy, and Wizkid.

Tyla’s Vision and Voice

Upon accepting her award, Tyla expressed gratitude and excitement, teasing that her new album is “coming in hot!” She voiced that the victory was more than personal—it was a celebration of African music’s diversity and influence.

Broadening the Conversation Around African Music

Tyla has consistently pushed back against simplified categorizations of African music. At the 2024 VMAs, she stated:

“The global impact that ‘Water’ had just proves that African music can be pop music too… African music is so diverse.”