GRAMMY 2026: TYLA DEFEATS BURNA BOY, DAVIDO, AYRA STARR RETAINS BEST AFRICAN MUSIC PERFORMANCE

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South African singer Tyla has emerged winner of the Best African Music Performance category at the 2026 Grammy Awards, edging out Nigerian superstars Burna Boy, Davido, and Ayra Starr.

Tyla secured the award with her hit track Push 2 Start, triumphing over Burna Boy’s Love, Davido’s With You featuring Omah Lay, Ayra Starr and Wizkid’s Gimme Dat, as well as Hope & Love by Eddy Kenzo and Mehran Matin.

The category, created to amplify African music on the global stage, once again showcased Nigeria’s strong presence, with three Nigerian artistes — Burna Boy, Davido, and Ayra Starr — making the final shortlist.

With this latest win, Tyla becomes a two-time Grammy winner in the category, having first claimed the award in 2024 with her breakout hit Water, which made her the inaugural recipient of the honour.

FULL WINNERS LIST

Album of the year

Bad Bunny – Debí Tirar Más Fotos – WINNER
Justin Bieber – Swag
Sabrina Carpenter – Man’s Best Friend
Clipse – Let Got Sort Em Out

Lady Gaga– Mayhem
Kendrick Lamar – GNX
Leon Thomas – Mutt
Tyler, the Creator – Chromakopia

Record of the year

Bad Bunny – DtMF
Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild
Doechii – Anxiety
Billie Eilish – Wildflower
Lady Gaga – Abracadabra
Kendrick Lamar with SZA – Luther – WINNER
Chappell Roan – The Subway
Rosé & Bruno Mars – APT.

Song of the year

Lady Gaga – Abracadabra
Doechii – Anxiety
Rosé & Bruno Mars – APT.
Bad Bunny – DtMF
Huntr/x – Golden
Kendrick Lamar with SZA – Luther
Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild
Billie Eilish – Wildflower – WINNER

Best pop solo performance

Justin Bieber – Daisies
Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild
Lady Gaga – Disease
Chappell Roan – The Subway
Lola Young – Messy – WINNER

Best pop vocal album

Justin Bieber – Swag
Sabrina Carpenter – Man’s Best Friend
Miley Cyrus – Something Beautiful
Lady Gaga – Mayhem – WINNER
Teddy Swims – I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 2)

Best contemporary country album

Kelsea Ballerini – Patterns
Tyler Childers – Snipe Hunter
Eric Church – Evangeline v the Machine
Jelly Roll – Beautifully Broken – WINNER
Miranda Lambert – Postcards from Texas

Best música urbana album

Bad Bunny – Debí Tirar Más Fotos – WINNER
Feid – Ferxxo Vol X: Sagrado
J Balvin – Mixteip
Nicki Nicole – Naiki
Trueno – EUB Deluxe
Yandel – Sinfónico (En Vivo)

Best new artist

Olivia Dean – WINNER
Katseye
The Marias
Addison Rae
Sombr
Leon Thomas
Alex Warren
Lola Young

Best rap album

Clipse – Let God Sort Em Out
Glorilla – Glorious
JID – God Does Like Ugly
Kendrick Lamar – GNX – WINNER
Tyler, the Creator – Chromakopia

Best dance-pop recording

Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco – Bluest Flame
Lady Gaga – Abracadabra – WINNER
Zara Larsson – Midnight Sun
Tate McRae – Just Keep Watching
PinkPantheress – Illegal

Best rap performance

Cardi B – Outside
Clipse – Chains & Whips (ft Kendrick Lamar & Pharrell Williams) – WINNER
Doechii – Anxiety
Kendrick Lamar – TV Off (ft Lefty Gunplay)
Tyler, the Creator – Darling, I (ft Teezo Touchdown)

Best country solo performance

Tyler Childers – Nose on the Grindstone
Shaboozey – Good News
Chris Stapleton – Bad As I Used to Be – WINNER
Zach Top – I Never Lie
Lainey Wilson – Somewhere Over Laredo

Best rap song

Doechii – Anxiety
Clipse, Pusha T & Malice ft John Legend & Voices of Fire – The Birds Don’t Sing
Tyler, the Creator ft GloRilla, Sexyy Red & Lil Wayne – Sticky
GloRilla – TGIF
Kendrick Lamar ft Lefty Gunplay – TV Off – WINNER

Best pop duo/group performance

Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande – Defying Gravity – WINNER
Huntr/x – Golden
Katseye – Gabriela
Rosé & Bruno Mars – APT.
SZA Featuring Kendrick Lamar – 30 for 30

Best R&B album

Givēon – Beloved
Coco Jones – Why Not More?
Ledisi – The Crown
Teyana Taylor – Escape Room
Leon Thomas – Mutt – WINNER

Best rock album

Deftones – Private Music
Haim – I Quit
Linkin Park – From Zero
Turnstile – Never Enough – WINNER
Yungblud – Idols

Best dance/electronic album

FKA twigs – Eusexua – WINNER
Fred Again – Ten Days
PinkPantheress – Fancy That
Rüfüs Du Sol – Inhale/Exhale
Skrillex – F U Skrillex You Think Ur Andy Warhol But Ur Not!! <3

Best rock performance

Amyl and the Sniffers – U Should Not Be Doing That
Linkin Park – The Emptiness Machine
Turnstile – Never Enough
Hayley Williams – Mirtazapine
Yungblud – Changes (Live from Villa Park, Back to the Beginning) – WINNER