Taylor Swift triumphs, Tyler makes history at 2024 MTV Awards

American pop megastar Taylor Swift won four awards at the 2024 MTV European Music Awards on Sunday night, outshining many of the biggest industry names at the ceremony in Manchester.

In a pre-recorded message, the 34-year-old, who won best artist and best live artist, expressed “sadness” for not being able to attend the event.

South African sensation Tyla stunned the audience, clinching the prestigious Best Afrobeats award and triumphing over fierce competition from industry heavyweights such as Asake, Ayra Starr, Burna Boy, Rema, and Tems.

This historic win was just one of three awards Tyla took home, making her the first African artist to achieve such a feat at the MTV Europe Music Awards.

Her success not only highlights her distinctive artistry but also marks a significant milestone for African representation on the global stage.

Tyla is the first African artiste to win three awards in one night at the MTV EMAs.

She won the Best Afrobeats Award, Best R&B Award, and Best African Act Award at the 2024 MTV EMAs.

The results for the 2024 MTV EMAs were disclosed on the organisers’ official account on X.

For the show’s 30th anniversary, the MTV Europe Music Awards returned to the UK, with Manchester’s Co-op Live serving as the official venue for music’s biggest global celebration on Sunday, 10 November.

Reacting to her win, Tyla quoted a tweet from the organisers and thanked her fans, posting, “Thank you Tygers once again! 🐅💕 Y’all are insane!”

Tyla’s name was a surprisingly omitted in the full 2025 Grammy nominations announced on Friday.

Earlier in July, Tyla was named Best New Artist at the BET Awards 2024, beating Ayra Starr and Asake to the award.

Tyla’s debut single, Water, catapulted her to global fame and earned her several accolades, including the inaugural Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance in February 2024.

2024 MTV EMAs Biggest Wins

Voting opened with Taylor Swift leading the pack with seven nominations, including Best Artist, Best Video, Best Pop, and Biggest Fans.

Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, Charli XCX, and Sabrina Carpenter followed closely—each with five nominations across categories such as Best Song, Best Video, and Best Artist.

People reports that other top contenders with four nominations each included Ayra Starr, Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Lisa, and first-time nominees Chappell Roan and Tyla.

Kehlani and Tinashe were among the 19 nominees up for their first-ever MTV EMA nomination.

The MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs) is an annual awards ceremony established in 1994 by MTV to celebrate and honour achievements in the music industry, specifically targeting European audiences.

The event is modelled after the iconic MTV Video Music Awards but focuses on European and global artists, recognising music across various genres and regions.

Each year, the awards are held in a different European city, making it a cultural and music highlight, with past locations including Berlin, Paris, and London.