Tyla (born Tyla Laura Seethal, January 30, 2002) is a South African singer-songwriter who has risen to international fame as an Amapiano-pop sensation.
Best known for her viral hit “Water,” Tyla blends the groovy log-drum rhythms of South Africa’s amapiano with pop and R&B to create a unique style she calls “popiano”. Her journey from Johannesburg to global stardom is a story of early passion, relentless hustle, overcoming industry hurdles, and record-breaking achievements.
In this in-depth biography, we explore Tyla’s early life, her rise to amapiano stardom, the challenges she’s faced, her most popular songs, and the major accomplishments and collaborations that define her career.
Early Life and Personal Background
Tyla was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, in a multicultural family. She is of Zulu, Indian, Mauritian, and Irish descent, and grew up in a musically rich household. Her parents, Sharleen and Sherwin Seethal, loved music and filled the home with diverse sounds – from American R&B icons like Aaliyah and Boyz II Men to South African artists like Mi Casa and Freshlyground.
This early exposure shaped Tyla’s eclectic taste. One of four children, she was “that child that wanted to be seen by everyone,” often dancing with her sisters and performing songs for her family.
From a very young age, Tyla’s ambition was clear. “Ever since I could say the word ‘singer,’ it was all I told people I wanted to be,” she recalled. She began singing publicly in primary school and even remembers her first performance at around 10 years old, belting out “How Much Is That Doggie in the Window?” with her grandmother cheering in the crowd.
By age 12, Tyla was writing her own songs in a diary her mother gave her, inspired by the pop and R&B stars she idolized. She started posting covers of Beyoncé and Justin Bieber hits on social media as a pre-teen, slowly building confidence and an online following.
In her teenage years at Edenvale High School, she continued to hone her craft, posting singing videos on Instagram and TikTok and even making up original songs for special occasions like Mother’s Day.
Tyla briefly considered a more conventional path – “for a quick second, I considered engineering” she admitted – especially as she approached the end of high school. In fact, she was on the verge of studying mining engineering after graduation due to uncertainty around a music career. Her parents, aware that others in the family had tried and failed in music, were initially hesitant about her pursuing singing full-time. But Tyla’s passion wouldn’t waver. After “a lot of convincing,” her parents agreed to let her take a gap year in 2020 to focus on music instead of immediately enrolling in college. “I had to make the decision: ‘Mom and Dad, I’m so sorry, but I’m gonna go for this,’” Tyla said of choosing music over a degree. Little did they know that this leap of faith would soon pay off.
Journey to Amapiano Stardom
Tyla’s journey from an aspiring singer in Johannesburg to a breakout Amapiano star was fueled by hustle and innovation. After finishing school, she devoted her gap year to creating and sharing music, but fate threw an early curveball: 2020 was the year the COVID-19 pandemic hit, derailing plans for studio sessions and live showcases.
“I thought, ‘What a waste! That was supposed to be my year to break!’” Tyla recalled of that difficult period. Feeling deflated but not defeated, she took matters into her own hands.
Tyla turned to social media and DMs as her stage, persistently messaging music industry contacts and even celebrities like DJ Khaled and Drake with her demos. “I’ve always been very ambitious. If I want something, I make sure I get it,” she said of this bold strategy, noting that most of her cold messages went unread – but she refused to give up.
Her persistence paid off when one industry executive finally responded. Tyla caught the attention of Brandon Hixon, co-founder of FAX Records in New York, through her online posts. Hixon became her manager and mentor, sending beats for her to write over as a test. Tyla stayed up all night writing a song to prove herself.
The next day, she nervously recorded on a home studio mic for the first time. Impressed, Hixon signed her to a management and development deal, and at just 19 years old Tyla found herself recording every weekend and doing impromptu photo shoots to craft her image.
By 2021, she had inked a record deal with Epic Records – a major milestone she chose because of the label’s passion for her vision. “
Immediately, labels started hounding me… In the end, I signed to Epic because of their passion,” Tyla explained of the whirlwind label bidding war that erupted after her first songs gained buzz.
Crafting the “Popiano” Sound
Central to Tyla’s rise was the creation of her signature sound. She knew from the start that she wanted to infuse her music with the amapiano beats booming in South Africa’s clubs, combined with the catchy hooks of pop and the smoothness of R&B. “The music scene [in South Africa] has been dominated by the genre amapiano and I am in love with it,” Tyla told one magazine, explaining why she merged the genre’s shakers, rattling log drums, and soulful piano melodies with international pop/R&B stylings.
The result was what she proudly dubs “popiano,” and it became the foundation of her breakout tracks. “I knew that I wanted my culture in it,” Tyla says of her sound. “Being from South Africa is the reason why my sound is what it is”.
In late 2019, Tyla recorded “Getting Late” with local producer Kooldrink – a bouncy, flirtatious track that would introduce her to the world. Released independently in 2020, “Getting Late” was a perfect showcase of popiano: an upbeat love song with Amapiano’s infectious beat at its heart.
The song started gaining traction, but it was the music video, released in early 2021, that truly launched her career. In the video, Tyla appears as a modern-day princess in a vibrant fairy-tale setting, a concept she helped create despite a tight budget and pandemic restrictions.
She and her small team of friends took nearly a year to shoot the video in bits and pieces, with her manager even filming some scenes himself. When “Getting Late” finally dropped on YouTube, it went viral in South Africa, racking up millions of views and astonishing local audiences with its high-concept visuals. “My page started going viral… Everyone was retweeting and reposting like ‘Wow! Is this from here?’” Tyla said about the buzz on Twitter when she teased the video.
The buzz quickly spread beyond South Africa, and suddenly U.S. industry heavyweights knew her name. “I couldn’t believe they knew me,” she said, recalling her shock at seeing Americans on Zoom calls pitching deals to her for the first time.
After the breakthrough of “Getting Late,” Tyla kept up the momentum with a string of singles that solidified her status as one of Africa’s most exciting new pop exports. In 2021 also, she released “Overdue,” an energetic track featuring gqom pioneer DJ Lag alongside Kooldrink. The song even found its way onto the soundtrack of Netflix’s South African teen drama Blood & Water, playing in the trailer for the show’s second season.
In 2022 she dropped “To Last,” a more emotional, piano-laced song that let her R&B vocals shine.
By 2023, Tyla was in full stride – she released the sultry “Been Thinking”, continued to grow her fanbase online, and caught the attention of fellow African stars. Around this time she teamed up with Nigerian singer Ayra Starr for the breezy duet “Girl Next Door,” further expanding her Pan-African appeal. Tyla’s rise also translated to the stage. Her debut live performance came at Milan Fashion Week in early 2023, and soon after she was opening for Chris Brown on his European tour, including a show at London’s O2 Arena. She wowed festival-goers with a show-stopping set at Afro Nation in Portugal, asserting that her talent could command big international stages just as well as viral videos.
By mid-2023, anticipation was building for Tyla’s next big move. Little did the world know, her defining hit was just around the corner – and it would make global waves.
Challenges Faced and Overcoming the Odds
Tyla’s journey, while swift, has not been without obstacles. From skeptical parents to industry pressures and personal struggles, she has had to show real resilience to stay true to herself.
One early challenge was convincing her family that music wasn’t just a hobby. Coming from a family where others had attempted music careers without success, Tyla felt pressure to prove herself. Her parents initially pushed her toward a safer path (hence the idea of mining engineering studies), fearing the uncertainty of an arts career. Tyla had to “beg and cry,” as she put it, to get their blessing for a gap year to pursue music. Even then, when the pandemic hit in 2020, it seemed her shot might be slipping away. Tyla fell into a funk when her big year was disrupted – “I was so down,” she admitted about that period. Yet, she didn’t let the setback stop her; instead she doubled down on creating at home and networking online, essentially willing her dream to stay alive.
Entering the professional music world brought a new set of hurdles. After signing to Epic Records in 2021, the young artist suddenly found herself surrounded by seasoned producers and executives with strong opinions.
Industry executives tried to steer her toward a more generic pop sound at one point, thinking it would be safer for global markets. Tyla recalls being given songs to record that just “didn’t feel like me at all” – formulaic tunes that left her in tears in a hotel room, wondering if she was losing herself.
“When I got signed, a lot of opinions came in, and it was very overwhelming,” she told Variety, describing how some wanted to dilute her style to fit a mainstream mold. In one instance, her managers had to literally coax her out of a hotel bathroom where she was crying because she hated the direction a song was taking. This could have broken a lesser artist, but for Tyla it became a turning point. “Through doing that, I realized how much more I love African music,” she said – the experience actually strengthened her resolve to stick to her popiano fusion and original ideas.
Bolstered by this clarity, Tyla pushed back against the pressure to conform. The result? She poured her energy into a song that truly reflected her Afro-pop vision – “Water.” The runaway success of “Water” in 2023 was a vindication, proving that Tyla’s instincts were right all along. It sent a clear message to the industry that staying authentic to her roots was not a liability but her greatest asset.
With fame came other challenges as well. Tyla experienced imposter syndrome at times, struggling to believe she deserved the extraordinary success coming her way. “This opportunity is so big – it’s never been given to a South African pop artist, and I don’t take that lightly,” she confessed, describing how she sometimes second-guessed herself despite everyone around her cheering her on.
The weight of being a trailblazer – the “first” in many ways – made her feel intense pressure to make her home country proud. She learned to combat those doubts by leaning on family and friends for support, staying grounded in prayer before performances, and reminding herself why she started.
Once she’s on stage, the self-doubt disappears. “The minute I step on the stage, I feel electric… I feel like I’m this rock-star Barbie doll,” Tyla said, explaining how performing empowers her and washes away fear.
Tyla also had to navigate the spotlight of social media as her follower count exploded. Growing up as a digital native (she laughingly recalls sneaking onto social media at age 12 by using her father’s phone), she was used to sharing her life online.
But after her songs went viral, things changed. “I am starting to feel the pressure of social media now because the numbers are rising so much faster,” she told PEOPLE, noting that she suddenly understood the influence she wielded and felt a responsibility to “use my platform right.”. Tyla has had to become more mindful about what she posts, knowing millions are watching. The deluge of attention included not just adoring fans but also critics – some of whom sparked a debate about her identity in 2023.
In South Africa, Tyla identifies as “Coloured,” a term for people of mixed ancestry, reflecting her own blended heritage (Zulu, Indian, Mauritian, Irish). However, the word “colored” carries a painful connotation in the U.S., and when American fans heard her use it, a social media backlash ensued.
Tyla initially stayed quiet on the controversy, but eventually addressed it head-on. She clarified on Twitter that she never intended to deny her Black identity, but that “Race is classified differently in different parts of the world… I’m both Coloured in South Africa and a Black woman,” she wrote, closing the conversation with pride in every part of her heritage.
This episode was confusing and painful – “when who you are is challenged, it shakes you,” Tyla said – but she emerged from it more determined than ever not to let others define her. It became another chapter in how Tyla controls her own narrative, in music and in life.
Not all challenges have been cultural or internal; some were physical. In 2024, on the heels of her biggest successes, Tyla planned her first international tour – a chance to finally perform live for her growing global fanbase. Unfortunately, an injury forced her to cancel the tour dates, disappointing the young star and her fans. Though details weren’t public, the setback meant Tyla had to hit pause on her high-energy stage performances to recover. Ever positive, she took this in stride, focusing on studio work and assuring fans she’d be back stronger.
Indeed, by 2025 Tyla was back onstage at major festivals, showing that a stumble wouldn’t stop her meteoric rise. Through every hurdle, Tyla’s journey has been defined by perseverance and staying true to the vibrant spirit that got her this far.
Accomplishments and International Recognition
In just a few short years, Tyla has amassed a list of achievements that many artists could only dream of. Her combination of talent, hard work, and cultural pride has earned her awards, broken records, and opened doors on the world stage. Here are some of Tyla’s major accomplishments and milestones:
Record-Breaking Awards: Tyla’s explosive success with “Water” led her to make history at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards. In early 2024, she won the inaugural Best African Music Performance Grammy for “Water,” a brand-new category celebrating African music.
At just 22 years old, Tyla became one of the youngest African artists to ever win a Grammy – a moment she called “such a big moment for South Africa” as she proudly brought home the honor.
That same year, she also struck gold at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards. Tyla won the “Best Afrobeats” VMA for “Water,” triumphing in a category that recognized the growing global influence of African pop. In her acceptance, she spoke about how African artists are sometimes miscategorized, making the win bittersweet but significant.
Tyla’s awards haul continued at the regional level too – she was nominated for Video of the Year at the South African Music Awards for “Getting Late”, and later in 2024 she picked up trophies at the MTV Europe Music Awards (EMA), including Best Afrobeats and Best African act (underscoring her continental dominance). Each award cemented Tyla’s status as not just a viral sensation, but an artist with real impact and staying power.
Chart and Streaming Feats: Beyond awards, Tyla’s commercial achievements underline her global breakthrough. “Water” smashing into the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 was a trailblazing moment – no African female solo artist had ever charted that high before.
Her self-titled debut album Tyla, released in March 2024, also made a strong showing: it debuted at No. 24 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, an extraordinary achievement for a new South African artist. The album spawned multiple successful singles (like the flirtatious “Truth or Dare” and club-ready “Push 2 Start”), and it was so popular that she released a deluxe edition, Tyla+, later that year with additional tracks.
Tyla’s music has earned multi-platinum certifications in several countries, and her streaming numbers are in the hundreds of millions and counting.
She has also dominated the streaming charts in Africa; for instance, “Water” spent weeks at #1 on South Africa’s Spotify and Apple Music charts and hit #1 on the U.S. Afrobeats chart. All these metrics point to Tyla’s extraordinary crossover appeal – she’s not only beloved at home but has captured listeners worldwide.
International Performances: As her songs gained global traction, Tyla quickly became a sought-after performer on big stages. In late 2023, after her viral success, she embarked on a global promo run. One highlight was her show-stopping performance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, which introduced American TV audiences to her magnetic stage presence and the now-iconic “Water” dance (complete with splashing water on stage).
In 2024, Tyla was invited to some of pop culture’s most prominent events. She graced the stage at the Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards in Los Angeles, bringing a taste of amapiano to an American awards show. That fall, Tyla achieved a childhood dream when she performed at the returning Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in New York. Donning a pair of the brand’s famed Angel wings, she serenaded the audience with “Water” (as well as her uptempo track “Pusha To Start”) while models walked the runway. Tyla’s dazzling VS performance – complete with feathered wings and a glittering outfit – had fashion insiders and fans alike raving, and it symbolized her arrival as a true international pop culture figure.
She even attended the prestigious Met Gala in 2024, turning heads in a custom Balmain gown that went viral for its bold design.
By the time 2025 rolled around, Tyla was hitting the festival circuit hard: in April she took the stage at Coachella in California, becoming one of the first South African pop artists to do so.
She unveiled new music (like her 2025 single “Bliss”) at Coachella and had crowds dancing to her Afro-fused beats in the desert sun. From Afro Nation in Portugal to arenas in London, Tyla has proven she can captivate audiences on any continent. Each international performance not only grows her fanbase but also shines a spotlight on South African music and dance, fulfilling her goal of showcasing her culture proudly on the world stage.
Notable Collaborations: Despite being early in her career, Tyla has already worked with an impressive roster of artists and producers, highlighting her versatility and global network.
Her aforementioned duet “Girl Next Door” with Ayra Starr bridged South and West Africa, uniting fans across the continent. On her debut album Tyla (2024), she teamed up with Nigerian superstar Tems on the sultry track “No.1,” and tapped American stars like Becky G (who appears on the reggaetón-flavored “On My Body”). She also collaborated with Atlanta rapper Gunna and Jamaican dancehall artist Skillibeng on the high-energy anthem “Jump,” showing her music can transcend genres and borders.
One of her biggest cosigns came from hip-hop giant Travis Scott, who jumped on the official “Water” remix in late 2023, adding a verse to the viral hit.
A second remix featured EDM producer Marshmello, further demonstrating how widely “Water” resonated. In 2025, Tyla continued to expand her sound, collaborating with Afrobeats icon Wizkid on the feel-good track “Mr. Media” (from her mixtape WWP). Behind the scenes, Tyla has worked with top producers from around the world – from South African amapiano beatmakers like Kabza De Small and Kelvin Momo to international hitmakers like P2J and Sir Nolan.
Each collaboration has enriched her music and introduced her to new audiences. Tyla has expressed that one of her missions is to “open a window to people in Africa” by becoming a pop role model and working with artists globally.
With the caliber of partnerships she’s already attracting, it’s clear she’s well on her way.
Cultural Impact: Perhaps Tyla’s most meaningful accomplishment is the cultural impact she’s having. She has become a figure of pride for many in South Africa – a young Coloured woman breaking barriers internationally, all while infusing her work with proudly African elements.
When Tyla returned home after her Grammy win, she received a hero’s welcome, with fans and even government officials celebrating her as an ambassador of South African music. In her home country, she’s inspired a wave of young artists to believe that global success is possible without abandoning their roots.
Tyla’s success has also sparked broader conversations about genre and representation. She’s proven that Amapiano, once just an underground South African house subgenre, can sit comfortably on global charts next to the usual pop and R&B hits. Media outlets have credited her with helping popularize African dance trends and sounds worldwide. Meanwhile, her handling of the racial identity discourse showed grace and educated many international fans on South Africa’s cultural nuances.
Tyla is consciously using her platform to make space for more nuanced conversations about African identity and music on the world stage.
And despite all the glamour and globe-trotting, she frequently emphasizes that “there’s no place like home” – often gushing about how she loves to relax with her family or chat on her parents’ bed when she’s back in Johannesburg. This grounded attitude endears her even more to fans at home and abroad.
From a teenager posting cover songs online to a young woman commanding stages and winning major awards, Tyla’s rise has been nothing short of meteoric. Her story resonates not just because of the catchy songs or viral dances, but because of the authenticity and determination behind it all.
As Tyla herself once said, “I’d love to be that pop star, especially that type of role model for other African artists… It’s not something that happens every day for an African artist”. Yet, she is making it happen – on her own terms. With her early life passion, amapiano-powered journey to stardom, resilience through challenges, hit-filled catalogue, and growing list of accolades, Tyla is poised to continue shining on the global stage.
And as she conquers the world, she’s bringing a bit of South Africa’s soul to every corner of the map, one irresistible song at a time.
