The Growing Success of Tyla, South Africa’s Newest Star
Rising star, Tyla, has been the latest talent to burst onto the music scene with her single, “Water,” taking over TikTok and making a massive impact on the charts.
2023 has been a massive year for South African singer, Tyla. She has made music for a few years, but one song has propelled her to new heights.
Tyla is still at the beginning of her career with a small catalog. This year, she only released three singles, “Been Thinking,” “Girl Next Door” and “Water.” Even with only a few songs to her name, Tyla seems clear on her musical directions, often infusing Afrobeat, pop and R&B into her music.
She began the year with “Been Thinking,” a catchy song where she seamlessly fused various genres, incorporating electronic-dance beats with Afrobeat and pop.
The song had the proper elements of pop music, bubbly, repetitive and fun lyrics that were easy to follow and remember. She sang about constantly thinking of someone.
However, the instrumentation gave it an edge against the typical mainstream pop song. The beat added to the song’s character, as Tyla incorporated her culture into a song with mainstream potential. The simple lyrics and extravagant production made this song perfect for a party or club setting.
A personal favorite, Tyla partnered with another talented African songstress, Ayra Starr, for “Girl Next Door.” Their two voices pair beautifully, as Tyla’s soft vocals blended with Starr’s deeper tone.
Every aspect of this song was phenomenal, from the Afrobeat-infused production to the storytelling within the lyrics and the vocal delivery from both singers. Through this track, the singers told a lover not to leave them for the “girl next door.”
Tyla gave this person a warning. letting them know that although she wanted to be with them, she had other prospects waiting for a chance to be with her. Lyrically, Starr’s verse was the most captivating, as her lyrics gave off confidence and assurance. She knew if things went south, she could find someone who would appreciate her.
The song had a youthful concept, as the women faced challenges often associated with young love. Although they could have better, they opted to train the person they wanted most to treat them respectfully.
“Been Thinking” and “Girl Next Door” led Tyla to her most recent single and most universal hit thus far, “Water.” “Water,” an impassioned song with dominating lyrics and Tyla’s signature Afrobeat, R&B and pop fusion, took off thanks to social media, most notably TikTok.
As many songs from TikTok become hits, “Water” was no different, gaining popularity thanks to a dance challenge. A video of Tyla performing the dance, created by South African choreographer Lee-ché Janecke, went viral and the song began gaining major success.
She also gained co-signs from many of her industry peers, including Givēon, Cardi B, Shenseea, BTS’s V and many more.
In “Water,” Tyla establishes her confidence, telling her lover to treat her properly if they want her. Exploring the depth of physical and emotional connection she craved, Tyla wanted her partner to understand her desires and act accordingly.
Of all Tyla’s releases this year, “Water” showcased her vocal range the best. Even with its captivating production and steamy lyrics, Tyla’s soft vocal tone was the epicenter of this song. The vocal layering featured various aspects of her range, including beautiful falsettos in the background.
The promotion and musical elements of “Water” contributed to its massive success. A first in her career, Tyla charted at No. 67 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart as of October 9, making her the youngest South African singer to chart and the first South African artist since 1968 to enter the Hot 100.
Even though Tyla is only starting to gain international stardom, she has the potential and talent to attain more success. For someone who is only 21, her vocal tone and ability to beautifully combine various genres and still create cohesive music is impressive.
