Tyla’s 'popiano' sound continues to take the world by storm, even if awards still call it 'Afrobeats'

South African artist Tyla has once again made headlines by winning her second MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) in the Best Afrobeats category. 

She won the Moonman for her hit song “Push 2 Start”, a year after she won for her chart-topper “Water”.

In a competitive field that included heavyweights like Burna Boy, Wizkid, Tems, Asake, Shenseea, Skillibeng, and Rema, Tyla’s back-to-back wins highlight her growing international presence.

However, what makes her stand out is that she continues to be recognised in Afrobeats categories despite her music being rooted in Amapiano, the South African sound she proudly represents on the world stage.

The Grammy award-winning star has also carved out her own lane by blending Amapiano with R&B and pop, creating a distinctive style that fans have dubbed “popiano”. 

This fusion has broadened her appeal while keeping her sound set in her culture, and it is part of why she has become one of the most recognisable new voices in global music.

In her 2024 MTV VMAs acceptance speech, when she won for “Water”, she made it clear that her sound is rooted in her South African heritage.

“I come from South Africa. I represent Amapiano. I represent my culture,” Tyla stated, also calling out the tendency to categorise all African music under the Afrobeats label.

“This is such a big moment for African music,” she added. “It’s special, but also bittersweet because African music is so diverse and more than just Afrobeats.”

Since then, Tyla has swept Afrobeats categories across major international stages.

In 2024, she won Best Afrobeats at both the MTV VMAs and the MTV Europe Music Awards, and was named Top Afrobeats Artist along with the Top Afrobeats song for “Water” at the Billboard Music Awards. 

This year, she added another milestone by winning Favorite Afrobeats Artist at the American Music Awards before returning to the VMAs to claim her second Best Afrobeats trophy.

While award organisers continue to place her under Afrobeats, Tyla has used her wins and music to spotlight Amapiano and South Africa’s contribution to global music. 

Her insistence on naming the genre in her speech has kept the conversation alive about how African music is classified abroad.

She continues to fill up her accolades stand, which shows how quickly she has risen to the top. With “popiano”, the 23-year-old artist has created a sound that travels across continents without losing its South African roots.

Therefore, her sound should be honoured and recognised for what it truly is, rather than being confined to a single category each year.