Kenyan singer Victoria Kimani has entered the ongoing debate around South African artist Tyla’s Grammy win, offering a vocal defense that champions creativity, diversity, and the evolving soundscape of African music.
Her response comes after a wave of criticism from some fans and commentators who questioned Tyla’s victory at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards, where Tyla won Best African Music Performance for her song Push 2 Start.
While many celebrated Tyla’s success, a vocal subset of music fans argued her win didn’t reflect what they consider “authentic” African music — often comparing her to established Afrobeats stars like Davido and Burna Boy.
Kenyans, Nigerians, and music enthusiasts across Africa have taken to social media to debate whether Tyla’s sound and global appeal fit the definition of African music deserving of a Grammy.
Amid the conversation, Victoria Kimani took to Instagram to express her support for Tyla and to push back against critics who, in her view, tried to box African artists into restrictive categories.
In her post, Kimani made it clear that African music cannot and should not be reduced to a singular style. “Africans are NOT a monolith.
We look and sound very different,” she wrote, underscoring a message of diversity and broad artistic identity.
She celebrated Tyla’s approach and the fact that the South African star isn’t confined to traditional language or genre expectations.
“Finally, we have someone like [her]… and I love to see it,” Kimani continued, emphasizing that Tyla’s success reflects the richness and variety of African music rather than a narrow stereotype.
Kimani also drew on her own experiences in the industry to make a point about the criticism artists often face when they push creative boundaries.
“The push back she is getting for her every win is the same that I get every time I drop something new — ‘Sing in Swahili’, ‘this doesn’t… sound Kenyan,’ etc.,” she wrote.
The Grammy Award Tyla won, Best African Music Performance, is meant to celebrate excellence across the continent’s music scene.
However, some critics, especially from the Afrobeats community, voiced disappointment that marquee Nigerian stars such as Davido and Burna Boy were not recognized.
Many took to platforms like X to share opinions that “the award should have gone to someone more rooted in Afrobeats.”
Other commentators argued that Tyla’s music, especially “Push 2 Start,” blends global pop and R&B influences to the extent that it doesn’t necessarily represent a distinct African genre.
These debates often center not on how genres are defined and who gets to set those definitions.
Kimani tore into the notion that there’s a single way African artists should sound or perform.
Instead, she celebrates the continent’s plurality, where music ranges from Amapiano and Afrobeats to Afro‑fusion, highlife, hip‑hop, and more experimental blends.
Africa’s creative landscape is increasingly interconnected with global music trends, and artists like Tyla, Burna Boy, Ayra Starr, Davido, and Kimani herself operate at intersections where local heritage meets international appeal.