South African singer Tyla won the Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance on Sunday night, beating Nigerian heavyweights Davido and Burna Boy at the 2026 Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.
The win came as the Recording Academy celebrated global music excellence across nearly 100 categories during its annual ceremony, which honors achievements ranging from Album of the Year to Best New Artist. The award was announced during the Grammys’ premiere events ahead of the main televised show.
The 68th annual Grammy Awards, hosted by Trevor Noah, aired Sunday night on CBS and Paramount+ from the Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles. Performers included Sabrina Carpenter, Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga.
Kendrick Lamar entered the night as the most-nominated artist, earning nods in nine categories. Lady Gaga followed with seven nominations, tied with producers Jack Antonoff and Cirkut, while Sabrina Carpenter and Bad Bunny each received six nominations.
For many nominees, including those in the African music category, the Grammys festivities began earlier in the day at the premiere ceremony held at the Peacock Theater. The event is where the Recording Academy announces winners in the majority of categories not featured during the main broadcast.
Tyla’s victory marks another milestone for African music on the global stage, highlighting the growing influence of the continent’s artists within the Recording Academy’s voting body.
