Nigerian music heavyweights Burna Boy, Tems, Rema, Asake, and Ayra Starr have earned major nominations at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), underlining the global rise of Afrobeats and Nigeria’s cultural influence in the international music scene.
According to CBS and MTV, the organizers of the prestigious awards, this year’s VMAs will be held on September 7 at the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, and broadcast live on CBS.
Nigerian Artists Dominate Best Afrobeats Category
Nigerians clinched six out of seven nominations in the Best Afrobeats category — a testament to the genre’s explosive international reach. The category features:
Tems – “Get It Right” (with Asake)
Asake – “Active” (with Travis Scott) & “Get It Right” (with Tems)
Burna Boy – “TaTaTa” (featuring Travis Scott)
Rema – “Baby Is It A Crime”
Ayra Starr – “Last Heartbreak Song” (featuring Giveon)
Wizkid – “Piece Of My Heart” (featuring Brent Faiyaz)
Tyla – “Push 2 Start” (the only non-Nigerian nominee, representing South Africa)
Tyla, who has enjoyed breakout global success, earned two nominations, including Best Afrobeats and Best Choreography for “Push 2 Start.”
Multiple Nominations for Burna Boy, Asake, and Ayra Starr
Burna Boy picked up two nominations — one in Best Afrobeats for “TaTaTa” and another in the Video for Good category for his emotionally resonant single “Higher.”
Asake also secured two nods in the Best Afrobeats category for his collaborative tracks with Travis Scott and Tems.
Ayra Starr earned a nomination for Best Push Performance with “Last Heartbreak Song” featuring Giveon — further solidifying her position as one of Africa’s most promising pop stars.
Also nominated in the Push Performance category are:
Moliy, Silent Addy, Skillibeng & Shenseea – “Shake It To The Max (FLY) (Remix)”
Rema – “Baby Is It A Crime”
Wizkid – “Piece Of My Heart” (feat. Brent Faiyaz)
Global Music Icons Also in the Spotlight
While African artists dominate the Afrobeats and Push categories, the overall nominations are led by international music titans:
Lady Gaga tops the list with 12 nominations, including Video of the Year, Artist of the Year, and Best Album, bringing her career total to a staggering 18 VMAs wins.
Bruno Mars follows closely with 11 nominations, bolstered by a series of collaborations including one with Gaga.
Kendrick Lamar earned 10 nominations, reflecting his continued influence in hip-hop and visual storytelling.
A Celebration of Global Music and Cultural Impact
Now in its over four-decade history, the MTV VMAs continues to honor artists who have redefined music and sparked global conversations. The 2025 edition will recognize music videos and songs released between June 20, 2024, and June 18, 2025.
This year’s show will also feature new fan-voted categories, including:
Best Country
Best Pop Artist
The nominations reflect not only the growing recognition of Afrobeats on the global stage but also highlight Nigeria’s cultural export as a dominant force in music.
