Tyla’s self-titled debut album will no longer compete in the R&B category at the 2025 Grammy Awards. Instead, it will be considered for a nomination in the pop category despite her breakout song “Water” and several others charting on Billboard’s Hot R&B Songs chart and U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart.

The Recording Academy’s R&B screening committee made the decision, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

This means Tyla’s album will be going up against albums like Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department, Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft, Sabrina Carpenter’s Short N’ Sweet, Ariana Grande’s Eternal Sunshine and Chappell Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess.

In response to the news, Tyla tweeted, “I make it all,” with the kissy-face emoji.

In September, Tyla won for Best Afrobeats at the MTV Video Music Awards. As Blavity reported, she called the win “bittersweet.”

“The global impact that ‘Water’ has had on the world just proves that African music can be pop music too. This is so special but bittersweet because I know there is a tendency to group all African artists under Afrobeats,” Tyla said, according to Forbes. “Even though Afrobeats has run things and has opened so many doors for us, African music is so diverse. It is more than just Afrobeats.”

“I come from South Africa. I represent Amapiano. I represent my culture,” she added.

Tyla has expressed her desire to be seen as a pop star — sharing that she never saw an African pop star growing up and how her goal is to change that.

“Not seeing that while growing up made me want to be that person,” she told Elle back in May. 

At the 2024 Grammys, “Water” won Best African Music Performance, earning Tyla her first Grammy.

The nominations for the 2025 Grammys will be announced on Nov. 8, with final voting taking place between Dec. 12 and Jan. 3. The official ceremony is set for Feb. 2, 2025.

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