5th February, 2024
By Oluwapelumi Oluwayemi
At the 66th edition of the Grammy Awards on Sunday night, a notable mistake occurred when organizers mistakenly played Fela Anikulapo-Kuti’s ‘Water No Get Enemy’ instead of ‘Water’ by South African artiste Tyla, who was announced as the winner of the inaugural Best African Music Performance category.
The Recording Academy initially declared Tyla‘s track as the winner over other Nigerian contenders like Davido’s ‘Unavailable,’ Asake’s ‘Amapiano,’ Burna Boy’s ‘City Boys,’ and Ayra Starr’s ‘Rush.’
However, the mix-up led to Fela’s iconic Afrobeat anthem playing instead of Tyla’s song, prompting criticism from fans and music pundits, particularly in Nigeria, who condemned the Recording Academy for the error.
Fela Kuti’s “Water” was played when Tyla was announced winner of “Best African Music Performance” at the #Grammys 👀 pic.twitter.com/hzjjynvBKA
— 𝗔𝗟𝗕𝗨𝗠 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞𝗦 📀 (@AlbumTalksHQ) February 4, 2024
Tyla on Sunday beats Nigerian Asake, Davido Ayra Star and other to win the Grammy for the Best African Music Performance with her global viral hit, Water.
The 2023 hit, Water was top of the charts across 16 countries including the United Kingdom and the United States.
To win the Grammy, Tyla’s Water beats Amapiano by Asake and Olamide, City Boy by Burna Boy and Unavailable.
Her single, “Water” is not just a global hit but also a song that can hold its own anywhere, anytime.
Aside from the fact that it has taken over the streets globally, three days after the visual debuted on YouTube on 7 October 2023 it surpassed more than three million views. Less than a year after the video was released it has garnered more than 130 million views.