Nigerian singer Tems and South African star Tyla have earned nominations for R&B/Soul Song of the Year at the 2026 Soul Train Awards, placing two of Africa’s leading contemporary voices alongside some of the biggest names in global R&B. Tems is nominated for “What You Need”, while Tyla is recognised for “Chanel”, competing against Brent Faiyaz, Bruno Mars, Chris Brown and Bryson Tiller, Daniel Caesar, Justin Bieber, Kehlani, Mariah the Scientist and Kali Uchis, and Olivia Dean. BET announced the nominations on October 5, confirming that the category will be decided entirely by fan voting for the first time.
Tems has also secured a second nomination in Spotify’s new RNB X International Artist category, making her the only artist nominated across both new fan voted categories. The category recognises artists taking R&B beyond traditional borders and features Tems alongside Cleo Sol, FLO, Odeal, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Tiana Major9 and kwn. According to Spotify and Billboard, the nominees were selected based on cultural relevance, streaming performance and overall impact on the genre, highlighting the increasingly international reach of contemporary R&B. For Tems and Tyla, the recognition adds to a growing record of African artists gaining visibility within major American music institutions while bringing African influenced sounds deeper into the global R&B conversation.
The 2026 Soul Train Awards will take place in Chicago, the city where Don Cornelius launched Soul Train more than five decades ago, and will air on November 27 on BET and CBS, with simulcasts across BET Her, VH1, MTV2 and LOGO. Fans can vote for R&B/Soul Song of the Year on BET.com and for the RNB X International Artist category through Spotify until October 16. BET executive Connie Orlando said the new categories reflect how far R&B has reached, while Spotify described the awards’ return as an important moment for the genre and its global audience. With Tems and Tyla competing directly for Song of the Year and Tems receiving additional international recognition, the nominations underline the growing commercial and cultural influence of African artists within contemporary R&B.
