Tyla

Tyla creates music that is at once indelibly South African and ambitiously global. It’s a unique balance, one molded by the sounds she heard as a child growing up in Johannesburg. 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. 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. The killer rhythm track is rooted in amapiano, and the singer’s translucent vocals reveal stunning versatility: hypnotic enough for dance music yet packed with pop’s effortless catchiness and R&B’s undiluted soulfulness. Tyla swirled all of those elements together seamlessly for Tyla, her 2024 eponymous debut that crystallized her status as an emerging global superstar. 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.