By Chidiebere Atu
Tyla’s hit song Water keep making waves as she clinched a VMAs Award for best Afrobeats song of the year adding to a long catalogue which includes a Grammys for best African song performance . The track fended off fierce competition from top African artists such as Ayra Starr (Last Heartbreak Song), Chris Brown’s Sensational featuring Lojay and Davido, Usher’s Ruin featuring Pheelz, and Tems’ Love Me Jeje
While Tyla’s victory is a significant achievement, it has sparked a heated debate on social media, reigniting the ongoing conversation about genre categorization in African music. Water is an Amapiano track, a genre that originated in South Africa, distinct from the Nigerian-born Afrobeats sound. However, its win in a category labeled as “Afrobeats” has stirred discontent among fans and music enthusiasts alike.
Misrepresentation of African Music Genres
Many Nigerian fans and supporters of African music expressed dissatisfaction with what they see as the West’s broad-brush approach to African sounds. They argue that grouping all African music under the Afrobeats banner reflects a shallow understanding of the continent’s diverse musical landscape.
Amapiano, characterized by its deep house, jazz, and lounge music influences, has grown rapidly in popularity, especially in Southern Africa. Meanwhile, Afrobeats is a fusion of West African styles such as highlife and fuji with American funk and jazz elements. Despite these clear distinctions, many feel that the international music industry fails to appreciate these nuances, resulting in misclassification.
Who’s to Blame?
Some fans are pointing fingers at Afrobeats superstars, accusing them of failing to educate Western audiences and the global music industry about the complexities and differences within African music. Others suggest that the issue lies more with the Grammys’ choice of category names, proposing that the *Best African Song Performance* category should have been more inclusive of the continent’s wide array of sounds.
One solution that has been floated is renaming the category to the *Best African Music* category, allowing a broader and more accurate representation of the various genres that make up Africa’s vibrant musical ecosystem. This would ensure that Amapiano, Afrobeats, and other African genres can coexist and be recognized for their unique qualities.
Conclusion
While Tyla’s win with *Water* marks a significant achievement for African music on the global stage, it also highlights ongoing challenges in how African music is understood and categorized internationally. As African music continues to break boundaries and gain global recognition, there is a growing need for the global music industry to develop a deeper appreciation of the diversity of African sounds.
The conversation is far from over, but one thing remains clear—African music, in all its forms, is here to stay, and its impact on the world stage will only continue to grow.
