Unless you live under a rock, you’ve heard of South African viral singer Tyla. Her song “Water” captured the airwaves and fans’ attention and since then, her song has topped Spotify charts and rated in the top 100 in the Billboard charts. Tyla joined an illustrious list of Africans who have won the Grammy Award, and she keeps soaring. But where is Tyla from? Here’s a detailed look at her background and career breakthrough.
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Where is Tyla From? Early Life and Upbringing
Tyla, full name Tyla Laura Seethal, was born on 30 January 2002 in Johannesburg, South Africa. She is the middle child in a family of five children. Her father, Sherwin Seethal, comes from Mauritius and her mother Sharlee Seethal is a South African of Zulu and Irish descent.
The award-winning musician attended Edenglen High School, where she graduated in 2019. She was pursuing mining engineering before she dropped out to pursue her music career.
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Who Discovered Tyla?
During her school days, Tyla visited music studios to record. After high school, she focused on building her music career, despite resistance from her parents. Her manager, Garth von Glehn, organized her first recording session, and he was the one who discovered her.
Before that, Tyla was amassing an audience on TikTok, making music covers and dance videos. She even released a song “Getting Late” with Kooldrink, and got millions of views. After its success, she signed a record deal with Epic Records in collaboration with Faux Records.
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Water Release
The South African musician released other singles, “Overdue”, “To Last” before her hit song, “Water”. This was the lead single in her debut album ‘Tyla’ and it went viral on TikTok, Spotify and music charts. It was the first South African song to enter the Billboard Hot 100 since Hugh Masekela’s “Grazing in the Grass” in 1968.
The song became one of the most streamed songs on Spotify in 2023 with over 293 million listeners. The hit music continues to enjoy success as Tyla does.
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Debut Album
After the hype and media attention, Tyla finally released her debut album on 22 March 2024. She collaborated with several artists including Tems, Gunna, Kelvin Momo and Travis Scott. It carries 14 tracks and is about 38 minutes long.
Collaborations
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Following her success, Tyla has received recognition from world-famous artists like Chris Brown. She was his support artist during his “Under the Influence European Tour”. The South African has expressed her desire to work with Canadian-American singer Drake and South African artist Doja Cat.
Tyla was also invited to the prestigious Met Gala event, where she wore a sand sculpture and carried an hourglass. The African pop star was a standout for her simplicity and fresh look, which jived well with the theme.
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World Tour Cancelled
After the success of her hit single “Water”, Tyla announced her North American world tour. However, she was forced into cancelation due to an injury. She was supposed to start her tour on March 21 in Oslo, Norway, but fans will have to wait for new dates.
“I am heartbroken to have to say this, but as of right now, I won’t be able to proceed with the tour,” the artist continued. “In consulting with medical professionals, it’s become increasingly clear that continuing any festival or tour dates would jeopardize my long-term health and safety.” She shared this on an Instagram post.
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Tyla’s Ethnicity
Tyla’s racial identity has sparked numerous debates among South Africans and Americans. She identifies as colored, a term used in South Africa to refer to people with mixed heritage. However, the term colored is a derogatory word in the United States due to the country’s dark slavery history during the Jim Crow era.
Awards
Tyla has amassed numerous awards in a few months, after the release of her song ‘Water’. She won:
- Grammy Award for the Best African Music Performance.
- BET Awards for the Best New Artist & Best International Act.
- Africa Entertainment Awards USA.
- Culture and Creative Industry Awards.
- Metro FM Music Awards for the Global Icon Award.
- South African Style Award for the Most Stylish Performing Artist.
Tyla wants to be a global pop icon, and she’s started that journey on a high note. If she keeps producing hits, she might just be the biggest pop star Africa has produced. Some of the artists she looks up to include Rihanna and the late Aaliyah. The South African has time to build on her initial success, and we can only wait and see how her career evolves.
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