On Tuesday, 25 February 2026, Tyla did it again. The Johannesburg-born singer won the Outstanding International Song of the Year award at the 57th NAACP Image Awards, one of America’s most prestigious cultural honours, for her single “Is It.”
The award was announced as part of the non-televised pre-ceremony livestream, ahead of the main event on Saturday, 28 February, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in California.
She beat out a strong lineup that included Skip Marley‘s “In Our Sight,” Burna Boy‘s “Love,” Davido and Omah Lay‘s “With You,” and Tiwa Savage‘s “You4Me.” 
ALSO READ: 5 of Tyla’s Record-Breaking Achievements in 2025
‘Water’: The Song That Started It All
In 2023, Tyla released “Water,” and it became a global phenomenon, charting in the top ten in South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Then, on 4 February 2024, at the 66th Grammy Awards, Tyla won the inaugural Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance for “Water.”
She became the youngest African soloist to win a Grammy.
Her Debut Album
On 22 March 2024, Tyla released her self-titled debut album, which was also received well. The album cemented her as a serious, versatile artist, not just a one-hit wonder.
That year also brought global recognition on multiple fronts. She won Best New Artist and Best International Act at the BET Awards. At the MTV VMAs, she won Best Afrobeats Video.
She swept the MTV European Music Awards, taking Best African Act, Best Afrobeats Artist, and Best R&B Artist in a single night.
Back home, she dominated the 30th South African Music Awards, winning four awards from seven nominations.
In 2026, she won a second Grammy for Best African Music Performance, this time for “Push 2 Start,” becoming the first artist ever to win that category twice.
‘Is It,’ the song behind the latest win, was released on 11 July 2025, and the track has accumulated over 76 million Spotify streams in its first months, making it one of the most-streamed African songs in recent memory.
Tyla’s Major Awards
2023
- Best Female Artist — 9th Annual African Entertainment Awards USA
2024
- Best African Music Performance (“Water”) — 66th Grammy Awards, Los Angeles
- Best New Artist — BET Awards, Los Angeles
- Best International Act — BET Awards, Los Angeles
- Best Afrobeats Video — MTV Video Music Awards
- Best African Act — MTV European Music Awards
- Best Afrobeats Artist — MTV European Music Awards
- Best R&B Artist — MTV European Music Awards
- Best Pop Album — 30th South African Music Awards
- Newcomer of the Year — 30th South African Music Awards
- Female Artist of the Year — 30th South African Music Awards
- Best International Act — 30th South African Music Awards
- Song of the Year (“Water”)—3rd Basadi in Music Awards
- International Achievement — 3rd Basadi in Music Awards
- Highest Airplay — 3rd Basadi in Music Awards
- Best International Act — Cultural and Creative Industry Awards
- Most Stylish Performing Artist — South African Style Awards
- Global Icon — 18th Metro FM Music Awards
- Entertainer of the Year — GQ South Africa
- Global Force Accolade — Billboard R&B’s No. 1s Event
- Top Afrobeats Artist — Billboard Music Awards
- Top Afrobeats Song — Billboard Music Awards
2025
- Best Afrobeats (“Push 2 Start”) — MTV Video Music Awards
- Favourite Global Music Star — Kids’ Choice Awards (also hosted the ceremony)
- Impact Award — Billboard Women in Music Awards
- Best Female Artist — African Entertainment Awards USA
2026
- Best African Music Performance (“Push 2 Start”) — 68th Grammy Awards, Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles — 1 February 2026
- Outstanding International Song (“Is It”) — 57th NAACP Image Awards, Pasadena, California — 25 February 2026
Tyla is, by any measure, the most decorated African female artist of her generation. And at just 24 years old, she has barely begun.
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