“Been Thinking” and “To Last,” her new singles via Epic Records, push her artistry forward and solidify her versatility as she bounds toward her ultimate goal. The Johannesburg native introduced herself internationally with her debut “Getting Late” featuring Kooldrink, a bouncy, lust-filled track. She has since been deemed the "Queen of Popiano", a fusion of the pop and amapiano genres, infused with elements of R&B and Afrobeats. Tyla's biggest musical influences include Michael Jackson, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Drake, Wizkid, Whitney Houston, Freshlyground, Aaliyah and Cassie.
Music Videos
- It sparked the “Water Challenge” on TikTok, inspiring 5 million global “creates” on social media with over 9.6 billion views and counting.
- On 9 May 2025, Tyla released the single “Bliss”, and hosted the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards the following month.
- “And I just can’t wait for people to know that I’m the girl from South Africa that has songs playing on their radios.”
- Tyla’s biggest musical influences include Michael Jackson, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Drake, Wizkid, Whitney Houston, Freshlyground, Aaliyah and Cassie.
- The song gathered hundreds of millions of streams as it cracked the Top 25 of the Billboard Hot 100, climbed to #1 on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs Chart, and buzzed at Urban and Rhythm Radio.
- During her final year of high school, Tyla began pursuing a music career, sharing original songs and covers on Instagram while actively seeking opportunities in the music industry.
During 2023, she vaulted to the forefront of popular culture on her own terms. The piano-laced, pop-leaning track was inspired by her friend’s one-sided relationship, leaving her to wonder about feeling disposable. “Making that song made me realize that I was born for this because I wrote the hook lyrics years ago in the shower,” she says. Tyla knew she had that potential in her, too—to “open a window to people in Africa.” She messaged any and everyone who worked in music, to mostly no avail.
2024: International breakthrough with "Water"
Born and raised near Johannesburg, Tyla signed with Epic Records in 2021 following the domestic success of her 2019 debut single, "Getting Late". Her musical style is characterised by a fusion of pop and amapiano, with many publications dubbing her "Queen of Popiano". Who made the album?
Her outfit matches the dramatic, editorial tone of the video. The video shows Tyla in super short micro shorts with a sculptural top, high heels, and an oversized bag. The moment comes from the video she shared on her official Instagram account, where she posted the clip with the caption, “Look 2.” Tyla’s multiethnic Zulu, Irish, Mauritian, and Indian heritage leads her to identify as “Coloured,” a term used in South Africa to describe people with European and African or Asian ancestry. She followed “Getting Late” with singles “Overdue” featuring Kooldrink and DJ Lag in 2021 and “To Last” in 2022. “Ever since I could say the word ‘singer,’ it was all I told people I wanted to be,” Tyla told Metal magazine.
Bing News Quiz (4-19-
As with so many artists coming of age in the 21st century, the motivated teenager utilized social media to showcase her swiftly evolving talent; she then teamed up with South African producer Kooldrink for “Getting Late.” The 2019 single is a mesmerizing realization of Tyla’s love for bridging styles. Not only did Tyla (born in 2002) listen to plenty of homegrown music, including Kwaito and Afropop, but she was also exposed to ’90s American R&B greats like Aaliyah and Brandy. Tyla creates music that is at once indelibly South African and ambitiously global. But it was the 2023 release “Water,” a sultry popiano track with the lyrics “Make me sweat, make me hotter / Make me lose my breath, make me water,” that catapulted Tyla’s career to new heights. Her fourth single, “Been Thinking,” was released to millions of views on YouTube in 2023.
The single preceded her self-titled debut album (2024), which was released to critical acclaim and moderate commercial success, entering or approaching the top 25 in multiple countries including the United States. Powered by the irresistible "Water," not to mention the Gunna- and Skillibeng-aided "Jump," the project proved her ability to unite people and genres on the global embassy of the dance floor. The TikTok video shows Tyla pouring water on herself as part of the bacardi-inspired dance routine by the choreographer Lee-ché, making the clip go viral. She dubbed her music “popiano,” a mix of pop with amapiano, the South African dance music genre, with origins in jazz and house music, that originated in the mid-2010s. Tyla gained international recognition when the video for her 2023 winaura casino no deposit bonus single “Water” went viral on social media. Tyla’s music style is called “popiano,” a mix of pop with amapiano, a South African dance music genre.
Since its release on 24 October, the single has amassed an impressive 31.98 million streams.
"When I was a kid, I always hoped that a pop star like Rihanna, Britney Spears or Michael Jackson would come out of South Africa. I wanted a star to come from my hometown. Now, for the people of my hometown, I want to be a pop star who represents South Africa" On 24 October, Tyla released the song "Chanel", which became her highest charting entry on the Billboard Global 200 since "Water" (2023),peaking at number 44. She wrote and performed the song "Everything Goes with Blue" for the Smurfs soundtrack, which was released on 18 July. On 9 May 2025, Tyla released the single "Bliss", and hosted the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards the following month. The remix was debuted live at her Coachella 2025 set, where she also performed her upcoming single "Bliss" for the first time.
- And when I try to complete it on my PC it will say that I have successfully completed the quiz but never award any points.
- She has since been deemed the “Queen of Popiano”, a fusion of the pop and amapiano genres, infused with elements of R&B and Afrobeats.
- When I was younger, I obviously had the dream to be the biggest pop star, but it’s not something that happens every day for an African artist.”
- She gained international recognition after the release of her 2023 single “Water”, which entered the top ten in multiple countries including her native South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States.
- Musically, “Push 2 Start” is a reggae-infused amapiano pop-R&B track, which was positively received and its music video premiered on YouTube on 8 November 2024.
- The remix was debuted live at her Coachella 2025 set, where she also performed her upcoming single “Bliss” for the first time.
What was Tyla’s first viral music video in South Africa?
“And I just can’t wait for people to know that I’m the girl from South Africa that has songs playing on their radios.” Infused with her vibrant personality, her songs offer an innovative take on pop and R&B, shimmering with the euphoria of South African amapiano, and an otherworldly approach to production that makes every track feel like something totally new. Tyla described the EP as "a bridge to the second album", which is set to be released later in 2025, and is "going to be such a totally different vibe than what people are expecting". Tyla was featured on the song "When I'm with You" by the Thai rapper Lisa from her album Alter Ego, which was released on 28 February 2025. Musically, "Push 2 Start" is a reggae-infused amapiano pop-R&B track, which was positively received and its music video premiered on YouTube on 8 November 2024. Tyla's self-titled debut album was officially released via Fax and Epic Records on 22 March 2024.
Record deal
On 7 September 2025, Tyla attended the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, where she won the Best Afrobeats award for "Push 2 Start" (2024), marking her second win in the category after she previously won the award for "Water" (2023) at the 2024 ceremony. "Bliss" and "Is It" were included on her second extended-play WWP, also known as We Wanna Party, which was released on 25 July 2025. Tyla received widespread critical acclaim, and was a top-25 album in the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, and Switzerland.