by Mavia
South African music sensation Tyla made history at the 2026 Grammy Awards by becoming the first artist to win the Best African Music Performance category twice, following her 2024 win for “Water” with her 2026 victory for “Push 2 Start.” The win sparked a transformation in South African home entertainment, where Grammy viewing parties evolved into elaborate cultural experiences featuring “Red Carpet Potlucks,” themed snacks including “Grammy Gold” popcorn and biltong platters, and live betting apps for predicting winners.
Key Takeaway:
Beyond Tyla’s historic achievement, South African media is undergoing a “phygital” transformation that blends physical print with digital platforms in seamless consumer experiences. Caxton Media identified three defining trends for 2026: phygital advertising that bridges consumers’ physical and digital worlds, “treatonomics” driving mood-boosting consumerism amid economic pressure, and “connectioneering”—engineering instant emotional connection through relatable content that makes consumers feel seen. Meanwhile, the rise of emerging music genres like lekompo and Bacardi house positions South Africa as the next major Afrobeats exporter, while TikTok dominates as the primary news source for 33% of South Africans, outpacing traditional journalism and accelerating the shift toward personality-led, video-first news consumption.
Mavia’s Takeaway
Africa’s digital renaissance has its own dopamine. The diversity of Africans will be the womb of unheard of creative expressions and will be the excessive corner of ‘nuance expressions’. I pray the naming and birth of this micro movements do not fall prey to the global gate keepers of ‘culture’.