Incredible Women Of 2024: Grammy-Winning Artist Tyla
TYLA is next up in our Incredible Women of 2024 series – in which we celebrate the trailblazers whose talent, energy and impact are defining the year. The recent Grammy winner speaks to KARA KIA about making viral music, releasing her debut album, and bringing South African sounds to a global stage
Tyla was still in her final year of high school when her career really took off. It was during the pandemic, and she was sharing original music to Instagram and TikTok, quickly racking up millions of streams and views. Her international ascent was then cemented after the release of her hit Water last year, an amapiano song that started a viral dance challenge. At the 2024 Grammys, she garnered the award for Best African Music Performance, taking to the stage in a sultry, seafoam-green Atelier Versace dress decorated with Swarovski crystal cutouts.
“It means the world, really,” Tyla, who was born and raised in Johannesburg, says of the monumental win, and how it feels to represent her nation alongside other history-making acts. “There are a lot of African artists who are breaking through in the industry, and I’m so happy to be one of them. To be able to push the culture and the music, and just make it easier for not only myself as an artist but other African artists wanting to break through. I’m so proud and so happy, and I just know this is only the beginning for us.” Water is the lead single to her newly released eponymous studio album, and the 22-year-old is also hoping to follow with a debut tour later this year. “I’ve worked on this album for over two years, and I’ve been literally listening to it on a loop,” she says. “I’m just so excited for people to hear it and for me to perform it.
“I traveled the world, met so many different people, explored so many different sounds and ideas in order to get to where I am now. So, I do feel like I’ve spent a lot of time creating this album, and I’ve gotten to the point where I’m 100% confident. I’m just super-excited to now be sharing it with the world,” she says.
Of course, transcending national acclaim is no easy feat, but Tyla is clear about why her music resonates so deeply beyond South Africa: “Firstly, I just feel like it’s something new and fresh that people have been hungry for. Music is a part of our culture; dance is a part of our culture. So, I feel like it translates through the music. Even the way we make music in South Africa, it’s very much all about feeling and it’s definitely something I’m sure people experience when they hear it back.”
“I’ve always led with authenticity and that’s how I’ve been taught to be. My parents, my family and I have always been real and true to ourselves
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It would be amiss to understate how Tyla’s confident aesthetic enhances her cross-cultural appeal. Much like her musical influences, her personal style references the seductive club culture of the early aughts with clear nods to Rihanna, Cassie and Ciara in the genesis of their careers. Cropped tops, miniskirts, deconstructed dresses, acid-wash jeans and braided hairstyles are key to her style, which perfectly places Tyla as a leading figure in the Y2K revival. “I definitely want to look effortless, fresh, easy, island-y, sweaty and ripped. Those are some words I use to explain what vibe I’m feeling,” she says. “Especially for my first album – the music and the fashion are in one world.”
Her self-assuredness is all rooted in her upbringing, she adds. “I’ve always led with authenticity and that’s how I’ve been taught to be. My parents, my family and I have always been real and true to ourselves,” she says. “I want fans – my Tygers – and everybody that listens to my music to experience Tyla the artist for who she really is. Everything about me and my music is a true reflection of who I am and my love for the sound.” While community is central to her unflappable demeanor, it’s the passion for her craft and her country that makes her truly magnetic. It also centers her on her purpose. “It’s definitely the love for what I make and where I’m from. You know, I’ve always been so proud of our music and where I’m from. I want people to see the way we dance; I want people to hear the way we speak; I want them to hear the music we make back home.”
Tyla’s self-titled album is released on 22 March