South African singer, Tyla, has taken a stand against the Western tendency to lump all African music into the Afrobeats genre, noting that the genre is not the only African sound.
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Speaking at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards, where she won the Best Afrobeats Song award for her hit “Water,” Tyla explained the diversity of African music and the need for greater recognition of other genres.
“The impact that ‘Water’ has had on the world proves that African music can be pop music, too. This is so special but also bittersweet. Because I know there’s a tendency to group all African artists under Afrobeats. Even though Afrobeats has run things and has opened so many doors for us, African music is so diverse. It’s more than just Afrobeats.
READ ALSO: Burna Boy, Ayra Starr lose VMAs 2024 Best Afrobeats to Tyla
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“I come from South Africa, I represent Amapiano. I present my culture. And I just want to shout out to all the Afrobeats artists in this category with me. Shout out to all the Afrobeats artists Tems, Ayra Starr, Wizkid, Burna Boy, Rema, and Lojay.”
Tyla’s statement comes at a time when Afrobeats has experienced a global surge in popularity, with artistes like Wizkid, Burna Boy, and Tems achieving international success.
Tyla believes it’s important to avoid reducing the entire continent’s music scene to a single label.
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