Tyla & Halle Bailey Address Viral Onstage Moment At MTV VMAs 

Posted on by EDITORIAL FEATURES

 


Tyla scored a major win at the MTV VMAs on Wednesday night (September 11) but found herself going viral for all the wrong reasons after social media latched on to an onstage interaction with Halle Bailey. 

The “Water” hitmaker scooped her first MTV Video Music Award, the first for a female African artist and a South African artist overall. However, before delivering her acceptance speech, she asked for help to hold the trophy, turning to award presenters Hally Bailey and Lil Nas X for assistance.  

“You guys know me and holding awards,” she told the audience. “I’m not strong enough.” 

While Bailey smiled at Tyla, standing in place, Lil Nas stepped forward to take the award from her.

Social media users found the clip hilarious and couldn’t get over Halle Bailey’s refusal to hold the Moonman statuette. 

“I love that Halle kept her feet planted like you better figure it out,” one person wrote. “Plus, they’re the same size, if it’s heavy for you…” 

Another added, “tyla can’t hold her own award??? halle looked at her like girl what.” 

Nonetheless, Tyla wasn’t here for the uproar and quickly shut down the notion of any drama between her and Halle Bailey. 

“Y’all make everything weird,” she tweeted after the ceremony. “I was not asking my girl Halle… We just girls , S### I WON A VMAAAA.” 

Bailey replied, “exactly,” alongside a pair of red heart emojis. “Love u babes congrats.” 

Tyla used her acceptance speech to teach fans about the rich diversity of African music. 

“The global impact that ‘Water’ has had on the world just proves that African music can be pop music too,” she explained. “This is so special but bittersweet because I know there is a tendency to group all African artists under Afrobeats. 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.”  

She continued, “I come from South Africa. I represent amapiano. I represent my culture, and I just want to shout out [to] all the Afrobeats artists in this category with me.”  

She named Tems, Ayra Starr, Lojay, Rema, Wizkid, and Burna Boy before adding, “Africa to the world.”