Female musician Tyla has described her first Grammy Award as an honour and is excited about the recognition African music continues to receive worldwide.
After topping many charts and setting new records since its premiere last year, her ubiquitous Water, single pulled another magic, winning the first-ever African Music Performance category at the 66th Grammy Awards.
Tyla beat competition from Burna Boy, Davido, Asake, and Ayra Starr, who were all in the same category. Speaking backstage after picking up her first golden gramophone, the 22-year-old said the award meant so much to her.
“It’s an honour. It’s the first time this category has been introduced, so it just means so much to be the first to win this category.
“I’ve always been an advocate for African music, I love African music…and it’s the music I make, it’s the music I listen to all the time and I believed in it for so long, so I am happy it is getting its recognition. People are loving it and it’s an amazing time,” she said.
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Radiant-looking Tyla posed in her Versace costume with her first award and thanked her fans, who she calls the “Tygers,” for their support.
Tyla was the only African to grab the prize, as the other four African nominees in the Best Global Music Performance, Best African Music Performance, and Best Global Music Album categories were not successful.
A host of top music acts were rewarded at the ceremony, which took place at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday.
“This moment,” the third studio album by world fusion band, Shakti, was adjudged the Best Global Music Album. “Pashto” by Bela Fleck, Edgar Meyer and Zakir Hussain and Rakesh Chaurasia was crowned Best Global Music Performance.
Best African Music Performance is one of the three new categories in the 66th Grammys. According to Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr, the new update aimed to make the GRAMMY Awards process “more fair, transparent and accurate.”