Over the weekend, South African artist Tyla added another Best African Music Performance trophy to her growing list of accolades by winning a Grammy award, making it her second consecutively.
While the achievement was celebrated by many fans worldwide, Uganda-USA based artist Naira Ali was far from impressed.
Naira Ali argued that Tyla’s music does not authentically represent African culture and should not be rewarded as a continental standard.
According to Naira Ali, Tyla’s sound leans heavily toward a Westernized interpretation of African music rather than reflecting the continent’s diverse rhythms, traditions, and storytelling.
“Tyla is a misrepresentation of African music and its cultures,” Naira Ali said. “It is demeaning and almost an insult to African craft and creativity as a whole to keep awarding her on behalf of the continent. The Grammys have got to do better.”
This criticism is not new. Tyla has previously faced pushback from sections of African music fans who feel her sound is intentionally tailored for Western audiences, blending global pop influences with African elements in a way that prioritizes international appeal over cultural depth.
For some critics, that crossover appeal is precisely what has worked in her favor on global stages like the Grammys often, they argue, at the expense of long-established African artists whose music remains deeply rooted in traditional sounds and narratives.
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