Singer Victoria Kimani has come out in defence of South African artist Tyla following her recent Grammy win, stressing that African musicians should not be confined to a single sound, language, or style.
In an Instagram post on Tuesday, February 2026, Kimani celebrated the diversity of African music and the barriers artists often face when pushing creative boundaries.
She praised Tyla for breaking walls that restrict performers who look or sound different, or who do not sing in traditional African dialects.
Reflecting on her own experience in the music industry, Kimani shared the criticism she regularly encounters.
“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.
She noted that over more than ten years and five albums, she has blended African and R&B sounds with pop, yet critics still try to define what her music should be.
Kimani also addressed the selective ways people celebrate African culture, arguing that some recognise artists as “African” only on their own terms.
“Africans are NOT a monolith. We look and sound very different,” she said, praising Tyla for challenging narrow expectations and broadening the global perception of African music. “Finally, we have someone like [her]… and I love to see it,” Kimani added.
Tyla recently won the Best African Music Performance award at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards for her hit song Push 2 Start.
This marks her second win in the category, following her 2024 victory for Water. She triumphed over a strong field of nominees, including Burna Boy (Love), Davido featuring Omah Lay (With You), Ayra Starr featuring Wizkid (Gimme Dat), and Eddy Kenzo & Mehran Matin (Hope & Love).
Kimani’s praise highlights the growing recognition of African artists who innovate, proving that the continent’s music is vibrant, diverse, and impossible to box into a single definition.
By Meta