South African superstar Tyla has carved her name deeper into music history, clinching the Best Afrobeats award at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards for her electrifying single “PUSH 2 START.” With this victory, announced Sunday night, the 22-year-old singer not only celebrates back-to-back wins—following her 2024 triumph with “Water”—but also becomes the most awarded African artist in VMA history.
Her win places her ahead of industry heavyweights like Burna Boy, Tems, Rema, Ayra Starr, Asake and Moliy, further cementing her global dominance. “This is bigger than me—it’s for Africa,” Tyla said in her acceptance speech, drawing a roar from the audience. The milestone reflects the steady rise of Afrobeats and African pop culture on the world stage, and Tyla’s undeniable role in pushing the sound forward.
While Tyla’s achievement was one of the night’s most celebrated moments, the VMAs delivered no shortage of star power. Lady Gaga emerged as the evening’s biggest winner, collecting four trophies including Artist of the Year. Fresh off a sold-out show at New York’s UBS Arena, Gaga dazzled the crowd before heading to Madison Square Garden for her next tour stop. Ariana Grande wasn’t far behind, walking away with three awards, among them the highly coveted Video of the Year for “Brighter Days Ahead.” She also had the honor of presenting the Video Vanguard Award to the legendary Mariah Carey.
Other standouts included Sabrina Carpenter, whose Short n’ Sweet earned her Album of the Year as part of a three-award sweep, and Rosé with Bruno Mars, who claimed Song of the Year for their emotional duet “APT.” Bruno Mars doubled up by joining Lady Gaga for Best Collaboration with their fan-favorite “Die With a Smile.” Rising girl group KATSEYE also left their mark, winning MTV Push Performance of the Year for “Touch.”
The night also paid homage to icons across genres. Mariah Carey’s career-defining contribution to music was honored with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, a moment punctuated by a show-stopping medley of her classics. Busta Rhymes made history as the first recipient of the Rock the Bells Visionary Award, while Ricky Martin was celebrated with the inaugural Latin Icon Award. Together, their performances reminded fans that the VMAs remain a stage where legends and rising stars alike shape the future of music.
View this post on Instagram
