"I know there's a tendency to group all African artists as Afrobeats. Even though Afrobeats has run things and opened doors for us, African music is so diverse," Tyla stated in her speech. She emphasized her South African roots and proudly represented Amapiano, a genre distinct from Afrobeats, which she felt deserved its own recognition. Tyla also gave a shout-out to Afrobeats artists like Rema, Tems, Ayra Starr, Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Davido, with whom she was nominated.

However, Tyla's remarks have sparked criticism from some Nigerian observers, who felt she disavowed Afrobeats after winning in a category dedicated to the genre. Media personality and award-winning OAP Do2tun voiced his disapproval, questioning why Tyla accepted the Afrobeats award if she believed her song wasn’t truly representative of the genre.