Fresh insights have emerged on why South African singer Tyla clinched the Best African Performance award at the recently concluded 68th Grammy Awards, edging out Nigerian stars including Davido.
A US-based Nigerian music professional and member of the Grammy Recording Academy, Richardine Bartee, has attributed Tyla’s success to a combination of strong industry backing, strategic positioning, and the inner workings of the Grammy voting process.
Speaking in a WhatsApp conversation with Potpourri, Bartee explained that the Grammy Awards are determined by music professionals—artists, producers, and executives—who vote based on artistic merit rather than commercial success.
According to her, a major factor behind Tyla’s win is the global infrastructure supporting her career. The singer is signed to Epic Records, one of the most influential record labels in the United States, with a legacy of managing and promoting world-renowned artists, including the late pop icon Michael Jackson.
Bartee noted that being backed by such a powerhouse label provides access to effective promotion, long-term strategy, and key industry connections that ensure an artist’s work reaches the right audiences and, crucially, Grammy voters.
“These advantages play a significant role,” she said, adding that Tyla’s repeated success across international award platforms reflects not only her talent but also the experience and reach of the team behind her.
With her latest win, Tyla has now secured the Best African Performance award twice in three years, with Nigerian singer Tems being the only artist to interrupt her streak in 2025.
The outcome has sparked mixed reactions among Nigerian music fans, many of whom argue that Tyla’s songs lack the popularity and mainstream dominance of her Nigerian counterparts. However, industry observers continue to stress that the Grammy Awards are not a popularity contest.
That position was reinforced by the Recording Academy’s Chief Executive Officer, Harvey Jay Mason Jr., who recently clarified the Grammy voting process in a widely shared Instagram video. He explained that only members of the Recording Academy—music professionals currently working in the United States—are eligible to vote.
Mason Jr. emphasized that submissions are judged solely on artistic quality, not on sales figures, streaming numbers, fan base size, or social media influence. He further stated that Grammy voting excludes journalists, public voters, and record labels, with winners decided strictly by peer evaluation within the Academy.
While debates over representation and recognition continue, the latest explanations highlight how industry structure, professional networks, and voting criteria often shape outcomes at music’s most prestigious awards ceremony.