Grammy-winning South African superstar Tyla has used her historic night at the 32nd South African Music Awards (SAMA32) to celebrate her roots and call for greater unity across Africa.
Tyla received the AfriPure International Achievement Award at the ceremony held at the Sun City Superbowl, becoming only the second artist in SAMA history, after Black Coffee, to win the category twice.
The recognition marked her second victory in the category after her 2024 win. Although she dominated the 2024 SAMAs with four awards, this was the first time Tyla attended the ceremony in person to accept her trophy.
Accepting the award from media personality Bonang Matheba and AfriPure co-founder Grant Hughes, Tyla reflected on the challenges of navigating her rapid rise to international stardom.
“There’s never been a Tyla before me, and I don’t have a roadmap,” she told the audience.
The singer said she has had to navigate her career and personal growth while being watched by audiences around the world, expressing gratitude to South Africans for supporting her throughout the journey.
Tyla also paid tribute to the Pretoria Bacardi movement, which she credited as an important part of her breakthrough with her global hit “Water.”
She recalled performing Bacardi alongside the song and described the moment as transformative for her career.
“South Africa runs through my veins, it shows in the way I speak, the way I dance,” she said.
The singer then turned the spotlight away from herself, inviting fellow African artists at the ceremony to join her on stage as she accepted the award.
Artists including Makhadzi, Cassper Nyovest, Zee Nxumalo, Maglera Doe Boy, Langa Mavuso, Babalwa M, Lordkez and Xduppy joined her, creating a collective celebration of South African and African music.
Surrounded by her peers, Tyla delivered a message that went beyond her personal achievement, calling for greater unity across the continent.
“I pray one day to see a unified Africa; it’s so important.”
She also expressed pride in her identity, saying she was happy to be South African but even more proud to be African.
Tyla’s message comes as African musicians continue to gain unprecedented international recognition, with artists increasingly using global platforms to showcase African cultures, sounds and identities.
Her SAMA32 moment therefore became more than an award celebration. It was a tribute to the country that shaped her, the musical movements that influenced her career and a call for African artists to stand together as the continent’s creative industries continue to expand globally.
