Tyla’s Chanel, has earned double nominations at the American Music Awards 2026. The track was nominated for Best Music Video and Social Song of the Year. Chanel was released in October 2025 and has been a major success with more than 320 million streams on Spotify. The award ceremony will be hosted by Queen Latifah and take place on the 25th, May 2026. The event will be held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Los Angeles.

Tyla also earned nominations in the Best Female R&B Artist and Best Afrobeats Artist categories. Taylor Swift leads this year’s nominations with eight. Morgan Wallen, Olivia Dean, Sabrina Carpenter and Sombr each have seven.  She is competing in the Best Afrobeats category alongside major names like Burna Boy, Wizkid, Moliy, and Rema. In the Best Female R&B Artist category, she is up against   Summer Walker, SZA, Kehlani, and Teyana Taylor.

Tyla: Instagram

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While she gained attention with her hit “Water”, which was a combination of amapiano with pop, Chanel is about global pop. The song aligns with her growing presence in the international music space. This has helped position Tyla as a popular pop figure with a unique brand identity.

Tyla has revealed her collaboration with the Swedish pop star Zara Larsson through instagram, posting the cover art of their track. The song will be released on April 17 as part of her forthcoming album, A-Pop.

Tyla: Instagram

The nomination of Chanel at the 2026 American Music Awards shows Tyla’s music has been appreciated on a global scale. . It also reinforces her position as one of the leading African artists in the world.

Coachella 2026 marked a major return for Justin Bieber. It was his first major performance in years, following a long stretch away from touring and public view. The set moved between low-key, pared-back sections and fuller arrangements, before shifting when Wizkid and Tems joined him on stage.

Coverage from Vogue, The Guardian and Pitchfork points to a performance built around Bieber’s newer material, with a noticeably scaled-back production compared to the usual Coachella headline sets. It gave the show a slower pace, and at times, the energy dipped.

Photo: Instagram

That changed midway through. When Wizkid and Tems came out, the energy lifted straight away. They appeared without a long introduction or elaborate staging. It tied back to “Essence (Remix),” the track that connected all three artists and helped push Afrobeats further into mainstream Western pop.

On stage, the performance relied on vocals and live crowd response, without choreography or heavy visual effects. It worked. The reaction was immediate and consistent, cutting through the slower parts of the set.

Photo: Instagram

Earlier moments in Bieber’s set had felt held back. Bringing Wizkid and Tems in shifted that. The crowd leaned into familiar rhythms, and the atmosphere followed. It did not just raise the energy; it opened the set up, making it feel less contained and more connected to the global sound Coachella has been leaning into.

The festival has widened its international mix in recent years, and this moment carried more weight. Tems, coming off a strong run internationally, and Wizkid, whose music continues to travel across markets, were not treated as add-ons. They held their space comfortably on the same stage.

Photo: Instagram

Bieber stayed within the performance rather than redirecting attention to himself. That choice made the segment feel more natural and, ultimately, more effective.

By the end of the set, reactions were mixed. Some saw a careful return, others expected more from a headline slot. But the segment with Wizkid and Tems was the most consistent part of the set. It was the most settled part of the performance, where everything aligned without effort.

Not because it was bigger, but because it felt right.

The announcement that SiR will perform at Once Upon a Time in Joburg on May 23, 2026 shows the growing reach of South Africa’s R&B scene. His vocals and exceptional storywriting make him a fitting addition to the event.

“Once Upon a Time in Joburg” is a festival that attracts audiences that value musical depth and live performance. The platform, organised by Doctor Bird Productions, has previously hosted international acts like Xavier Omar, GoldLink and Sasha Keable.

Photo : Instagram

SiR is a key figure associated with Top Dawg Entertainment, the same label that houses artists like Kendrick Lamar and SZA. He has  albums like Chasing Summer, Seven Sundays and Heavy. His music is a combination of neo-soul, hip-hop, and classic R&B elements.

The Johannesburg event takes place at venues like Marks Park Sports Club in Emmarentia. Past editions have run as full-day experiences, combining live performances with DJ sets. This structure has local talent alongside international names, with artists such as Langa Mavuso and Filah Lah Lah previously playing on stage.

Photo: Instagram

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When artists like SiR perform in Johannesburg, the reception becomes a shared life experience where fans sing along to popular tracks. That level of engagement is part of what has made “Once Upon a Time in Joburg” stand out.

Full lineup details are not yet released. SiR’s live performances are recognised for vocal clarity, which could translate well in the event’s intimate setting. This could be a night where the audience will enjoy the best of Neo-soul and R&B.