South African hitmaker Tyla kept her momentum going at the 2026 American Music Awards, landing two major wins in Las Vegas and extending her run as one of the biggest global breakout acts in music right now.
Key takeaways
- Tyla won two awards at the 2026 American Music Awards in Las Vegas.
- She earned Best Afrobeats Artist for a second consecutive year.
- Her track “Chanel” made history by bringing her Social Song of the Year as the first international artist to do so.
- The ceremony was hosted by Queen Latifah at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
- “Chanel” has surpassed 354 million Spotify streams and reached number eight on the Spotify Global chart.
Tyla stacks another pair of AMA wins
Tyla’s latest triumphs followed a period of nonstop international momentum. At the 2026 American Music Awards, she took home two major honors during the 52nd edition of the show, which took place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
In the fan-voted category for Best Afrobeats Artist, she secured the award for the second year running. Her win came after competing against major African music figures including Burna Boy, Wizkid, Rema, and Moliy.
She also added a milestone to her résumé by becoming the first international performer to win Social Song of the Year. The recognition was tied to her hit single Chanel, a track that reflects themes of confidence and self-worth.
“Chanel” continues to dominate globally
While Tyla was not present in person at the ceremony, her presence was still felt throughout the night—largely driven by the performance and reach of Chanel. The song has already built more than 354 million streams on Spotify and climbed to number eight on the Spotify Global chart.
Those streaming numbers helped push her into another historic moment: she became the first African artist to rack up multiple Top 10 hits on Spotify’s global rankings.
The AMAs are decided through a mix of public voting, music sales, streaming activity, and social engagement, so Tyla’s consecutive wins point to a rapidly expanding audience worldwide—often referred to by fans as the Tygers.
Queen Latifah hosts as Tyla reaches new milestones
The show was hosted by Queen Latifah, marking her return to the AMAs more than three decades after she first co-hosted the event back in 1995.
By the end of the night, Tyla was officially a four-time AMA winner. She also set a record as the most nominated African artist in the history of the awards show.
