South African Star Tyla’s Double Triumph At BET Awards

South African pop star Tyla triumphed at the Black Entertainment Television (BET) awards in Los Angeles, California, winning two prestigious awards on Sunday.

Tyla, whose real name is Tyla Laura Seethal, took home the awards for Best New Artist and Best International Act. She was nominated for four awards in total, including Best Female R&B/Pop Artist, which was awarded to SZA, and the Viewer’s Choice Award, which went to Beyoncé for “Texas Hold ‘Em.”

The “Water” singer wowed the audience with a performance of her song “Jump,” featuring US rapper Gunna and Jamaican artist Skillibeng. The act included painted dancers resembling a tiger and Tyla herself in a cage, energizing the crowd.

In her acceptance speech for Best International Act, Tyla expressed her gratitude: “I did not prepare anything, but I just want to say thank you so much to my Tygers [Tyla’s name for her fans], my family, my team. Thank you to BET for always pushing the culture.”

Tyla had previously cancelled her shows in the US and Europe due to an injury, making her BET award wins and performance even more remarkable.

Limpopo-born artist Makhadzi also celebrated a win, securing the Viewer’s Choice: Best New International Act category, surpassing fellow South African Tyler ICU and other international artists.