Tyla is the debut studio album by South African singer Tyla. It was released on 22 March 2024 by FAX and Epic Records. Musically, Tyla blends elements of amapiano, pop, Afrobeats and R&B, and its lyrical themes include empowerment and relationships. The deluxe edition titled Tyla + was released on 11 October 2024.
Capitalizing on her international breakthrough with its lead single "Water", the album includes guest appearances from Kelvin Momo, Tems, Becky G, Skillibeng, Gunna and Travis Scott. Recording sessions for the album took place in seven countries over two-and-a-half years. Tyla and her collaborators Ari PenSmith, Mocha Bands, Believve and Sammy SoSo led production and songwriting. Tyla was supported by five singles: "Water", which peaked at number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and received multi-platinum certificates in many countries, "Truth or Dare", "Art", "Jump" and "Breathe Me". The Tyla Tour was announced, some dates of which were cancelled and some were rescheduled due to injuries. In an interview with Nandi Madida, Tyla said that she wanted to kickstart her album with a South African sound.
Tyla was also released in the United Kingdom by Since '93 and RCA Records. CD and vinyl formats were released in South Africa by Sony Music South Africa and in the United States by Epic Records. The Japanese edition was released on 7 August 2024 by Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Tyla promoted the record by hosting pop-up shows and live performances in countries such as the UK and Japan. Upon its release, Tyla generally received acclaim from critics, most of whom praised Tyla's versatility for including multiple music genres. The album debuted at number 24 on the Billboard 200 chart after amassing 24,000 album-equivalent units in its first week. It also peaked at number one in Tunisia, Papua New Guinea, and within the top 20 of album charts in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand and Switzerland. Tyla won Newcomer of the Year, Best Pop Album and Female Artist of the Year at the 30th Annual South African Music Awards. It was certified gold in Brazil, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States.
Shortly after completing high school in 2019,[1]Tyla released her debut single "Getting Late".[2] Tyla directed the music video and promoted it via social media.[3][4] The music video gained popularity in South Africa as it garnered over 930,000 views on YouTube in a month,[5] and piqued the interest of executives at Epic Records.[6] In 2021, Tyla signed a recording contract with Epic and left South Africa for the first time to attend a writing camp in Dubai, where the label had organised a songwriting camp for her.[7] Over the following two-and-a-half years, Tyla attended recording sessions in her native South Africa, Ghana, Tanzania, Jamaica, Nigeria, the United States and the United Kingdom to develop formal studio-recording experience, and to write and record her debut album.[a] During this time, Tyla met Sammy SoSo, Ari PenSmith Believe and Mocha Bands, who became her collaborators and did most of the production and songwriting on Tyla.[7]
In October 2023, Tyla told Capital Xtra she had been recording Tyla for over two years and that it would mostly be "popiano", a portmanteau of amapiano and pop music.[4] Tyla coined the term "popiano" to define her musical style.[9][10] Tyla fused western genres with African influences,[10] she told Billboard that, "since amapiano songs were eight to ten minutes long, I wanted a three minutes normal format of an R&B song or a pop song".[11] In March 2024, Tyla told Rolling Stone that she named her debut album after herself to introduce her musical style to new listeners,[12] and she added "I have been working on this for so long. And despite the fact that people think I just [arrived] a few weeks ago, I have been working for very long on this. Self-titled was the only way for my first album."[12]Tyla was recorded at Geejam Studios in Port Antonio, Miloco and Sarm Studios in London, ACP Studios in Cape Town, SessionsAtlanta Studios in Atlanta, Criteria Studios in Miami, Home Away From Home, Just for the Road and Sony Music Studios in Los Angeles.[13] Tyla announced the upcoming release date via social media on 30 November 2023.[14] In December 2023, before the album's release, Tyla described it as an "experimental album".[15]Tyla was originally scheduled for release on 1 March 2024,[16] she had extended the album-submission date to work with the Nigerian singer Tems on the song "No.1",[17] the album was released on 22 March that year[18] by FAX Records and Epic Records,[19] and in the United Kingdom by Since '93 and RCA Records.[20]CD and vinyl formats were released in South Africa by Sony Music South Africa,[21] and in the United States via Target by Epic Records.[22] The Japanese edition was released on 7 August 2024 by Sony Music Entertainment Japan.[23] During an interview with Elle on 10 September 2024, Tyla hinted a deluxe edition of her album.[24] Titled Tyla +, it was released on 11 October 2024,[25][26] with three additional tracks.[27]
Tyla is an amapiano, pop, and R&B record that contains elements of Afrobeats;[28] a sound Tyla calls "popiano".[29] The 41-second-long opening track "Intro", consisting of a recording that plays in the background while people converse, was produced by South African record producer Kelvin Momo.[30] In an interview with Nandi Madida on Africa Now Radio with Nandi Madida for Apple Music, Tyla stated that she wanted to kickstart the album with a raw and proudly South African sound.[31][32]
"Safer" is melodic track with syncopated log drum and chants as an expansion.[33] "Water" is a pop and R&B infused amapiano song.[34][33] "Water" was described as a song about a woman's longing to feel a squirting climax.[35] On the pre-chorus, Tyla sings, "can you blow my mind? Set off my whole body?" While breaking down the meaning behind the lyrics with Genius, Tyla said it is about her telling a guy to show her what he got to offer.[36] The fourth song on the album, "Truth or Dare", it is an amapiano recording,[37][38] which has been described as a slab of Afrobeats by Joshua Minsoo Kim of Resident Advisor.[33] It is an R&B-infused track,[39][40] characterized by guitar riffs, Tyla's "candied" vocals, as well as rhythmic and bass-heavy percussion.[41] In the chorus, Tyla sings about remembering when her then-lover would mistreat her and dares him to catch up.[42] The seventh song on the album, "Butterflies", is a fusion of hip hop, pop, and R&B that is similar to the musical style of Ariana Grande.[43] Throughout the verses and hook of "Breathe Me", Tyla's voice is more forceful, but when she reaches the phrase "breathe me", she sings it in a way that properly highlights the concept of the song.[44] "No.1" contains vocals from Tems that balances Tyla's lighter vocals. Lucas Martins of Beats Per Minute described the vocal delivery as unsubtly Aaliyah-inspired performances.[29]
"On and On" blends old-school R&B, amapiano, and pop.[45][46] On "Jump", Tyla sings: "they ain't never had a pretty girl from Jo'burg, see me now and that's what they prefer".[47] It was described as "the most trap-adjacent production" on the album by Lucas Martins of Beats Per Minute, and it includes vocals from Gunna and Skillibeng.[29] "Jump" is a fusion of Afrobeats, dancehall, and hip hop with echoing log drums and percussion that define the amapiano genre.[48][49]Airhorns are introduced in the chorus,[50] along with the party chant, "haibo!", a Zulu language expression for shock or disbelief.[51][52] "Jump" opens with an intro by Skillibeng, who compliments Tyla and calls her "an original gyal".[40] Tyla sings the first verse with braggadocio[53] and the single-syllable chorus in a rap-sung cadence. In the second verse, Gunna promises to fulfil Tyla's desires and buy her jewellery.[54] The song ends with an outro by Skillibeng.[55] "Art", the tenth song on the album,[56] has been described as the most erotic song Tyla has released since "Water" by Joshua Minsoo Kim of Resident Advisor.[33] "Art" showcases Tyla's most subtle vocal performance,[29] and smooth ad-libs,[56] as she expresses her desire to become of a work of art for her love interest.[57] It is followed by "On My Body", a deep house-influenced recording featuring vocals partially sung in Spanish by Becky G.[58] On the song "Priorities", Tyla illustrates her figurative message of spreading herself too thin over a ghostly highlife guitar.[50] The thirteenth song on the album "To Last" is a fusion of R&B and amapiano that features Tyla's smooth, whispered vocals and synths with an aspect of sadness as she sings: "You never gave us a chance, it's like you never wanted us to last".[59][60] The album closes with a remix of "Water", with auto-tuned vocals from Travis Scott.[61]
On 5 December 2023, Tyla announced the Tyla Tour,[62] her debut concert tour, which was scheduled to begin on 21 March 2024 in Oslo and conclude on 28 May 2024 in Minneapolis.[63] On 7 March 2024, Tyla took to social media to announce the cancellation of the North American leg of the tour due to an undisclosed injury she sustained before the tour began.[64][65] The UK & European leg of the tour was postponed and rescheduled.[66][67] Soon after the album's release, Tyla performed pop-up shows, one in Shoreditch, London, England on 27 March 2024,[68][69] and again at Mall of Africa in Johannesburg, South Africa on 2 April 2024, to promote the record.[70][71] She also hosted meet and greet pop-ups in Tokyo, Japan on 18 August,[72][73] and again on 26 August 2024, in Seoul, South Korea.[74]
Tyla performed "Jump" alongside Gunna and Skillibeng at the 24th annual BET Awards in Los Angeles, California on 30 June 2024, after receiving the BET Award for Best New Artist.[88] She then attended the Prelude to the 2024 Olympic Games at the Foundation Louis Vuitton in Paris on 25 July 2024,[89] dressed in black velvet Louis Vuitton tracksuits,[90] where she delivered a medly of "Thata Ahh", "Jump" and "Water" dressed in a oversized Louis Vuitton jersey and spandex shorts.[91] On 4 August, she performed "Water" at the 17th edition of Osheaga Festival in Montreal, Canada.[92] Tyla was 30 minutes late for her set at the Outside Lands festival in San Francisco, California, on 9 August, where she then delivered a 20-minutes performance of "Truth or Dare", "Water" and "Safer".[93] Tyla performed most of the tracks from the record including "Breathe Me" and "Water", and cover songs at the 2024 edition of Summer Sonic Festival in Osaka, Japan on 17 August 2024,[94][95] and again the following day in Tokyo, she delivered a 45-minutes long performance where she opened with "Safer", followed by "On My Body", which she performed with Becky G.[73] Tyla also performed her non-album singles "Thata Ahh" and "Ke Shy", the latter by Major Lazer and Major League DJz before performing a mash-up of Aaliyah's "Rock the Boat" and her "On and On", followed by "Art", "No.1" and "Truth or Dare", as she went on to perform another non-album single "Bana Ba", then "Breathe Me" and "Jump" before closing with "Water".[73] From 23–25 August 2024,[96] Tyla performed some of her songs including "Water" at the LaLaLa Festival in Jakarta, Indonesia,[97] and she then performed at the One Universe Festival in Seoul, South Korea on 28 August 2024, where she opened with the South African national anthem, "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika",[98][74] and again on 20 September,[99] in Rio, Brazil at the Rock in Rio festival held at the Parque Olimpico.[100][101] Tyla performed a medley of "Water" and "Push 2 Start" in Brooklyn Navy Yard, New York City on 15 October 2024, at the 2024 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show,[102][103] and again in Co-op Live, Manchester, United Kingdom on 10 November, at the 30th Annual MTV Europe Music Awards.[104]
Two of the featured artists on the album were Travis Scott (left) and Gunna (right)
"Truth or Dare" was serviced to rhythmic contemporary radio stations on 13 February 2024.[122] It peaked at number 4 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart,[123] and number 17 on the Rhythmic chart.[124] "Truth or Dare" was certified gold in Brazil,[125] and Canada.[126] It was also covered by South Korean singer, Somin of Kard.[127] A live performance of "On and On" on the German music-performance platform ColorsxStudios was released on YouTube and other digital-streaming platforms a day before the release of the digital extended play (EP) Tyla.[128]
"Art" was accompanied by a music video on the day of the release.[129][130] A teaser video, which was shared on Tyla's social media accounts on 13 March 2024, depicts Tyla and Lisa of Blackpink previewing the song.[131][132] "Art" was sent to Italian radio as a single.[133] "Jump" was serviced to rhythmic contemporary radio on 14 May 2024,[134] and to radio airplay in Italy on 7 June 2024.[135] "Jump" peaked at number 87 in Canada,[136] where it was certified gold by Music Canada.[137] A music video for the fifth single, "Breathe Me", premiered on YouTube on 3 September 2024.[c] "Push 2 Start" was released in tandem with the deluxe edition on 11 October 2024.[141] It was sent to BBC Radio 1Xtra in the United Kingdom on 18 October,[142] and Italian radio stations on 25 October.[143] "Push 2 Start" was serviced to rhythmic crossover on 29 October, where it was the most added track of that week with 38 stations.[144]
Tyla received critical acclaim from contemporary critics,[146][57] most of whom commented on Tyla's ability to fuse a variety of musical styles such as afrobeats, amapiano, pop, and R&B while remaining "true to her roots".[147][38]
Writing for African Folder, Bomi Anifowose said the album's distinction "reflects the meticulous effort poured into its crafting". He noted Tyla "refused to settle for mediocrity" and that she "poured her heart and energy" into each aspect of the album. Concluding the review, Anifowose stated: "there is no skippable song" on the album and called it "one of the most groundbreaking debuts" from an African pop star.[56]Beats Per Minute's Lucas Martins complimented the album's versatility, noting it "presents restrained yet club-ready songs" that make for the "perfect vibe". Concluding his review, Martins wrote the "expertly crafted record"'s authentic sound will allow Tyla to become a star.[29] Writing for Clash, Robin Murray said Tyla "opens with a flurry of highlights" and that "she's able to remain true to her roots". He also said the album "taps into the emerging energies of spring" and described it as "one of 2024's most insistent projects".[38]
According to Tai Saint-Louis of HipHopDX, the album proves Tyla has the potential to become "one of the genre-defining stars of her generation", saying "she comes off as organically comfortable".[44]i's Ed Power wrote Tyla stays on "the front foot" on an album where "forward motion is a recurring metaphor".[61] Writing for The Line of Best Fit, Amaya Lim said Tylas's unique selling point is that "she has all the trappings of a real Popstar". Lim noted amapiano, afrobeats, pop and R&B are "expertly blended into every song", which results in "a record that is above all cohesive". Lim also said despite the "little emotional or energetic dynamism" on the album, it is "club-ready, danceable and infectious", attracting the masses.[147] According to Miya Madzada of The Native, Tyla "remained genuine and authentic to herself" throughout the album and said "her charismatic personality shines out". Madzada stated Tyla "engraves her artistic" ambitions.[52] Kayleigh Watson of NME said Tyla proves her status as "South Africa's brightest new star".[59]
Pitchfork's Julianne Escobedo Shepherd began her review noting that on the album, Tyla "flexes her fidelity to pop-R&B" and that it "pulses with amapiano's log-drum heartbeat". She describes her singing ability as "savvy" and states that her "vocal intimacy betrays her influences".[58] Writing for Rolling Stone, Will Hermes wrote that the album "coasts safely on its vibes" and that her debut "shows she's up to the challenge", labelling her the most "effective ambassador" for amapiano.[50]
In the United States, Tyla debuted at number 24 on the US Billboard 200 chart,[149] earning 24,000 album-equivalent units, including 3,100 pure sales,[150] in its first week[151] and becoming the highest-charting album on the Billboard 200 chart by a female African soloist in the chart's history.[152]Tyla accumulated over 630,6 million streams on Spotify, breaking a record previously held by Nigerian singer Burna Boy in under a week.[153] It debuted atop the Billboard US World Albums chart,[154] joining Nigerian singers, Wizkid and Burna Boy as the only African artists to reach that milestone,[151] number 8 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart,[155] and opened at number 2 on the Top R&B Albums making the arrival the second of 2024 to debut in top two after Usher's Coming Home, which debuted at number 1 in February.[156] The album reached number 26 in Canada,[157] where it was awarded Gold certification by Music Canada.[158]
Tyla peaked at number 1 in Tunisia and Papua New Guinea.[159][160] It went on to amass 1 billion streams on Spotify in June 2024, roughly 3 months after its release.[161] It was certified Gold in Brazil by Pro-Música Brasil (PMB).[162] In the United Kingdom, Tyla entered the UK Albums chart at number 19,[163] and debuted atop the UK R&B Albums on the chart dating 4 April 2024.[164] It peaked within the top 25 in several countries including New Zealand where it reached number 16,[165] number 11 in the Netherlands,[166] number 19 in Norway,[167] and number 12 in Switzerland.[168]
^On 28 March 2024, Tyla told Billboard that she spent two-and-a-half years recording the album.[7] On 17 October 2024, in a dialog with Lisa of Blackpink on Musicians on Musicians for Rolling Stone, she said that she started working on the album over three years ago.[8]
^Source(s) does not go into detail on whether the song was unreleased or not during the Afro Nation festival.[7] This source states that the event was held on 29 June 2023,[75]Billboard says otherwise.
^There was no record of radio date. However, Rolling Stone referred to the track as the fifth single off the album,[138] while RTTNews,[139] and The Source called it "the latest single from the album".[140]
^Replaced with "Water (Marshmello remix)" on the LP version.[21]
^"タイラ、3曲を追加収録したデビューALのDX版を配信 | Daily News". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). 11 October 2024. Archived from the original on 31 October 2024. Retrieved 21 October 2024. [The new version includes three additional tracks: "Shake Ah" featuring Tony Duardo, Optimist, and Maestro, as well as "Push 2 Start" and "Back to You."]
^Vellem, Mihlali. "What the heck! Tyla spotted at Mall of Africa, visits pop-up store". MSN. The South African. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024. Grammy Award winner Tyla Seethal made her appearance at her highly anticipated pop-up store at the Mall of Africa on Tuesday, 2 April — this comes after returning to her home soil for the first time after winning the inaugural Best African Music Performance award in the States.