Tyla on Making a Bold Statement with Her Self-Titled Debut Album
Written by Katie Bain on March 27, 2024
Tyla is becoming a national name before everyone’s eyes. The latest addition of “Grammy-winning artist” to her title only highlights her star power. With the success of the Johannesburg-bred singer’s hit single “Water” dominating airways, it’s impossible to go anywhere without hearing the popular verse “Make me sweat.” At only 22 years old, she continues to break milestones. Her self-titled debut album Tyla—with features from Tems, Gunna, and more—proves this trajectory.
Growing up in South Africa significantly influenced Tyla’s artistic journey. “I grew up very close with my family, and my siblings, they’re my best friends. Looking back at it now having traveled and everything, I realized that growing up in South Africa was really fun. Music is huge in Africa. I feel like a drownded me as an artist.” Tyla tells EBONY her joy at witnessing the growth of Amapiano music both nationally and internationally, emphasizing her pride in being a part of its evolving narrative. “Amapiano has been around for a while. I’m happy to have been around to hear its evolution how it’s changed over time how it’s grown and how many people are now hopping onto it. I hold it very dear to my heart not only because I am South African, but because I’ve watched it grow into what it is now and I’m now a part of the story, so I love it.”
Tyla’s debut album, Tyla, has officially been released, marking a significant moment in her career. Through this album, she boldly presents herself to the world, using her music as a means to establish connections with her audience. This move is particularly notable as Tyla is not accustomed to sharing personal details about herself, making this musical journey a unique and powerful form of self-expression.
“I wanted it to just be an introduction to myself, Tyla as an artist, as a person, not only down to the music, but also the promo, the visuals, everything in one.”
Tyla.
One standout track from the album is “Jump,” featuring Gunna and Skillibeng. Tyla kicks off the song with the line, “They never had a pretty girl from Joburg See me now, and that’s what they prefer,” showcasing her versatility and adding a unique touch to the track. “Yes, I came in swinging that song was so fun to do, because it was a little bit different. I was more aggressive with it. I was flexing on people with that song which I like because I don’t do that a lot. So that was cool. It’s probably my favorite intro out of all the songs on the album. I just feel like it was a strong statement to come out of the gate like that. I can only imagine the Joburg girls at home singing that song.”
For many artists, achieving recognition at the Grammys is a pinnacle moment in their music careers, and for Tyla, it’s been a full-circle journey. Growing up, she had to persuade others that winning a Grammy was an achievable goal. Now that it’s happened, she’s embracing every moment of this accomplishment and sees it as just the beginning of what’s to come.“I’ve been working for a while and I always believed in my music and where it could go. The Grammy took it to a different place where this could be even bigger than I dreamed. It made me want to work even harder it brought me a new level of hunger, a new feeling like I want to hustle more, I want to work more.”
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