# Tyla (album)

Tyla is the debut studio album by South African singer Tyla. It was released on 22 March 2024 by FAX and Epic Records. The deluxe edition titled Tyla + was released on 11 October 2024. Musically, Tyla blends elements of amapiano, pop, Afrobeats and R&B and its lyrical themes include empowerment and relationships. In an interview with Nandi Madida, Tyla expressed her desire to launch her album with a South African sound.
Tyla 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. The album was led by the single "Water", which proved to be her breakthrough, peaked at number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and received multi-platinum certificates in many countries. Other singles from the album include "Truth or Dare", "Art" and "Jump".
It 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. She promoted the record by hosting pop-up shows and live performances in countries such as the UK and Japan.
Tyla generally received acclaim from critics, most of whom praised Tyla's versatility for including multiple music genres. It debuted at number 24 on the Billboard 200 chart after amassing 24,000 album-equivalent units in its first week. It peaked at number one in Tunisia and Papua New Guinea and within the top 20 of album charts in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand and Switzerland. It 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 Canada, New Zealand, the United States and platinum in Brazil. In support of the album, Tyla embarked on the Tyla Tour but had to cancel and reschedule some shows after sustaining injuries.

## Background and release

Shortly after completing high school in 2019, Tyla released her debut single "Getting Late". She directed the music video and promoted it via social media. The music video gained popularity in South Africa as it garnered over 930,000 views on YouTube in a month and piqued the interest of executives at Epic Records. In 2021, she signed a recording contract with Epic and left South Africa for the first time to attend a songwriting camp in Dubai organized by the label. Over the following two-and-a-half years, she 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. During this time, she met Sammy SoSo, Ari PenSmith, Believve and Mocha Bands, who became her collaborators and did most of the production and songwriting on the album.
In October 2023, Tyla told Capital Xtra that she had been recording her album for over two years and that it would mostly be "popiano", a portmanteau of amapiano and pop music. She coined the term "popiano" to define her musical style. She fused western genres with African influences, and told Billboard, "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". In March 2024, Tyla told Rolling Stone that she named her debut album after herself to introduce her musical style to new listeners, and explained that the self-titled name reflects the effort she has invested over time, despite misconceptions that her rise was recent. She called it an "experimental album". 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.
Tyla announced the album's release date via social media on 30 November 2023. Originally scheduled for release on 1 March 2024, the album's submission date was extended to include a collaboration with Nigerian singer Tems on the song "No.1". The album was ultimately released on 22 March 2024 by FAX Records and Epic Records and 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 via Target by Epic Records. The Japanese edition was released on 7 August 2024 by Sony Music Entertainment Japan.
During an interview with Elle on 10 September 2024, Tyla hinted a deluxe edition of her album. Titled Tyla +, it was released on 11 October 2024, with three additional tracks.

## Composition and lyrics

Tyla is an amapiano, pop and R&B record that contains elements of Afrobeats, a sound Tyla calls "popiano". 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. In an interview with Nandi Madida on Africa Now Radio with Nandi Madida for Apple Music, she stated that she wanted to kickstart the album with a raw and proudly South African sound.
"Safer" is melodic track with syncopated log drum and chants as an expansion. "Water" is a pop and R&B-infused amapiano song. "Water" was described as a song about a woman's longing to feel a "squirting orgasm". On the pre-chorus, Tyla sings, "can you blow my mind? Set off my whole body?" Explaining the lyrics with Genius, she said it is about telling a guy to show her what he has to offer. The fourth song on the album, "Truth or Dare", is an amapiano recording, which has been described as a slab of Afrobeats by Joshua Minsoo Kim of Resident Advisor. It is an R&B-infused track, characterized by guitar riffs, Tyla's "candied" vocals, as well as rhythmic and bass-heavy percussion. In the chorus, she sings about remembering when her then-lover would mistreat her and dares him to catch up. 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 the American singer Ariana Grande. Throughout the verses and hook of "Breathe Me," her voice is forceful, but she softens on the phrase "breathe me" to emphasize the song's concept. "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.
"On and On" blends "old-school" R&B, amapiano and pop. On "Jump", Tyla sings: "they ain't never had a pretty girl from Jo'burg, see me now and that's what they prefer". Including vocals from Gunna and Skillibeng, it was described as "the most trap-adjacent production" on the album by Lucas Martins of Beats Per Minute. "Jump" is a fusion of Afrobeats, dancehall and hip hop with echoing log drums and percussion that define the amapiano genre. Airhorns are introduced in the chorus, along with the party chant, "haibo!", a Zulu language expression for shock or disbelief. "Jump" opens with an intro by Skillibeng, who compliments Tyla and calls her "an original gyal". She sings the first verse with braggadocio 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. The song ends with an outro by Skillibeng. "Art", the tenth song on the album, has been described as "the most erotic song Tyla has released since 'Water'" by Joshua Minsoo Kim of Resident Advisor. Martins of Beats Per Minute wrote that "Art" showcases Tyla's most subtle vocal performance and smooth ad-libs, as she expresses her desire to become a work of art for her love interest. It is followed by "On My Body", a deep house-influenced recording featuring vocals partially sung in Spanish by Becky G. On the song "Priorities", she illustrates her figurative message of spreading herself too thin over a ghostly highlife guitar. The thirteenth song on the album, "To Last" is a fusion of R&B and amapiano track 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". The album closes with a remix of "Water", with Auto-Tuned vocals from Travis Scott.

## Promotion

On 5 December 2023, Tyla announced the Tyla Tour, her debut concert tour, which was scheduled to begin on 21 March 2024 in Oslo and conclude on 28 May 2024 in Minneapolis. 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. The UK & European leg of the tour was postponed and rescheduled. Soon after the album's release, she performed meet and greets, one in Shoreditch, London, England on 27 March 2024, and again at Mall of Africa in Johannesburg, South Africa on 2 April 2024, to promote the record. She also hosted meet and greet in Tokyo, Japan on 18 August, and another on 26 August 2024, in Seoul, South Korea.

## Live performances

Tyla first performed "Water" in June 2023 at Afro Nation Portugal. She also performed "Water" on 2 August, and "To Last" on 6 September 2023 for Vevo's program DSCVR. That October, she made her global television debut performing "Water" on The Bianca Show in Sweden. She also performed the song on the US television show, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon later that month. On 30 November 2023, she performed "On and On" on ColorsxStudios. Tyla performed an unreleased remix version of "Water" with South African DJ Black Coffee at a nightclub in Sandton on 6 December. She performed a medley of "Water" and "Truth or Dare" on the season 24 finale of the US television series The Voice aired on NBC on 18 December. She also performed a medley of "On and On", "Truth or Dare" and "Water" in Times Square during the 2024 television special Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve. On 9 April 2024, she performed "Art" on the US late-night talk show The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.
Tyla performed "Jump" alongside Gunna and Skillibeng at the 24th BET Awards in Los Angeles, California on 30 June 2024, after receiving the BET Award for Best New Artist. She then attended the Prelude to the 2024 Olympic Games at the Foundation Louis Vuitton in Paris on 25 July 2024, dressed in black velvet Louis Vuitton tracksuits. There, she delivered a medley of "Thata Ahh", "Jump" and "Water", dressed in a oversized Louis Vuitton jersey and spandex shorts. On 4 August, she performed "Water" at the 17th edition of Osheaga Festival in Montreal, Canada. Tyla was 30 minutes late for her set at the Outside Lands festival in San Francisco, California, on 9 August, where she delivered a 20-minute performance of "Truth or Dare", "Water" and "Safer". She performed most of the tracks from the record including "Breathe Me" and "Water", as well as cover songs at the 2024 edition of Summer Sonic Festival in Osaka, Japan, on 17 August 2024. The following day in Tokyo, she delivered a 45-minute performance where she opened with "Safer", followed by "On My Body", which she sang with Becky G. There, she 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". From 23–25 August 2024, she performed some of her songs including "Water" at the LaLaLa Festival in Jakarta, Indonesia, 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" and again on 20 September, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil at the Rock in Rio festival held at the Parque Olimpico. 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 and again in Co-op Live, Manchester, United Kingdom on 10 November, at the 2024 MTV Europe Music Awards. She hosted a two-city concert in South Africa, one at the Grand Arena in Cape Town on 5 December 2024 and another at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria on 7 December. Hours after her show in Pretoria, she announced that she would be returning for another event on 18 January 2025. In partnership with Absa Group and YFM, the event took place at the SunBet Arena and it was live streamed on Showmax to viewers across 44 countries.

## Singles

Tyla made her major label debut with "To Last" which premiered on BBC Radio 1Xtra on 4 November 2022. "To Last" was later included on Tyla. The album's lead single "Water" was released on 28 July 2023. It reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and peaked within the top 10 in multiple countries. The song earned her many accolades, including the inaugural Best African Music Performance at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards. "Water" received multiple certifications in many countries including the United States Brazil and South Africa. Two remix versions of "Water", one with Travis Scott and the other with Marshmello, were released on 17 November 2023. "Water" was covered by multiple musicians including Leona Lewis, Trevor Jackson and Cosmo's Midnight.
"Truth or Dare" was serviced to rhythmic contemporary radio stations on 13 February 2024. It peaked at number 4 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart and number 17 on the Rhythmic chart. "Truth or Dare" was certified gold in Brazil and Canada. It was also covered by South Korean singer, Somin of Kard. 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.
"Art" was accompanied by a music video on the day of the album release. A teaser video, which Tyla shared on social media accounts on 13 March 2024, depicts her and Lisa of Blackpink previewing the song. "Art" was sent to Italian radio as a single. "Jump" was serviced to rhythmic contemporary radio on 14 May 2024, and to radio airplay in Italy on 7 June 2024. "Jump" peaked at number 87 in Canada, where it was certified gold by Music Canada. A music video for the fifth single, "Breathe Me", premiered on YouTube on 3 September 2024. "Push 2 Start" was released in tandem with the deluxe edition of the album on 11 October 2024. It was sent to BBC Radio 1Xtra in the United Kingdom on 18 October, and Italian radio stations on 25 October. "Push 2 Start" was serviced to rhythmic crossover on 29 October, where it was the most added track of that week with 38 stations.

## Critical reception

Professional ratings :
| Aggregate scores ||
| Source | Rating |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 7.7/10 |
| Metacritic | 84/100 |
| Review scores ||
| Source | Rating |
| African Folder | 8.2/10 |
| Beats Per Minute | 75/100 |
| Clash | 8/10 |
| HipHopDX | 4/5 |
| i | |
| The Line of Best Fit | 9/10 |
| The Native | 7.4/10 |
| NME | |
| Pitchfork | 8.0/10 |
| Pulse Nigeria | 7/10 |
Tyla received critical acclaim from contemporary critics, 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".
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. 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. 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".
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". i's Ed Power wrote Tyla stays on "the front foot" on an album where "forward motion is a recurring metaphor". 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. 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. Kayleigh Watson of NME said Tyla proves her status as "South Africa's brightest new star".
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". 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.

## Commercial performance

In the United States, Tyla debuted at number 24 on the US Billboard 200 chart, earning 24,000 album-equivalent units, including 3,100 pure sales, in its first week and becoming the highest-charting album on the Billboard 200 chart by a female African soloist in the chart's history. It accumulated over 630,6 million streams on Spotify, breaking a record previously held by Nigerian singer Burna Boy in under a week. It debuted atop the Billboard US World Albums chart, joining Nigerian singers, Wizkid and Burna Boy as the only African artists to reach that milestone, number 8 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart 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. The album reached number 26 in Canada, where it was awarded Gold certification by Music Canada.
The album peaked at number 1 in Tunisia and Papua New Guinea. It went on to amass 1 billion streams on Spotify in June 2024, roughly 3 months after its release. It was certified Gold in Brazil by Pro-Música Brasil (PMB). In the United Kingdom, Tyla entered the UK Albums chart at number 19 and debuted atop the UK R&B Albums on the chart dating 4 April 2024. It peaked within the top 25 in several countries including New Zealand, where it reached number 16, number 11 in the Netherlands, number 19 in Norway and number 12 in Switzerland. It was certified Gold in New Zealand by the Recorded Music New Zealand (RMNZ), and in the U.S. by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). In December 2024, it was named the most streamed album by a black female musician on Spotify with 1,565 billion streams. Epic Records' CEO, Sylvia Rhone and president, Ezekiel Lewis, gave Tyla a commemorative plaque of her recent achievements in January 2025, in Los Angeles, stating that her album was certified platinum in Indonesia and the Philippines, gold in South Africa and double platinum in Thailand.

## Accolades

Tyla was initially submitted to compete for the Best R&B Album at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, but it was booted to the Best Pop Vocal Album by The Recording Academy. The Hollywood Reporter wrote that "it was a shock to see an album rooting for Afrobeats, R&B and amapiano pushed to pop instead of the Best Progressive R&B Album category which highlights R&B albums infused with other sounds". The nominations were announced on 8 November 2024, Tyla did not receive any. Vibe wrote that "her exclusion from Global, African Music or general categories was surprising".

### Awards and nominations

| Award | Year | Category | Result |
| Billboard Music Awards | 2024 | Top R&B Album | Nominated |
| Gold Derby Music Awards | 2025 | Best R&B Album | Pending |
| South African Music Awards | 2024 | Album of the Year | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards | 2024 | Best Pop Album | Won |
| South African Music Awards | 2024 | Female Artist of the Year | Won |
| South African Music Awards | 2024 | Newcomer of the Year | Won |

### Year-end lists

Select rankings of Tyla :
| Publication | List | Rank |
| AllMusic | Best Albums of 2024 | — |
| Billboard | The 50 Best Albums of 2024 | 13 |
| Business Insider | The best albums of 2024 | 6 |
| Consequence | 30 Best Albums of 2024 (So Far) | 19 |
| Complex | The 50 Best Albums of 2024 | 37 |
| The New York Times | Best Albums of 2024 | — |
| NME | The best albums of 2024… so far! | 19 |
| NPR | The 50 Best Albums of 2024 | — |
| Resident Advisor | The Best Records of 2024 | 16 |
| Rolling Stone | The 100 Best Albums of 2024 | 6 |
| Sunday World | The ten best albums of 2024 so far | 10 |
| Uproxx | The Best Albums Of 2024 | — |
| Variety | The Best 20 Albums of 2024 (So Far) | 19 |
| Variety | The Best Albums of 2024 | 8 |
| Vogue | The Best Albums of 2024 (So Far) | — |

## Track listing

Notes
* signifies a primary producer and vocal producer.
* signifies a co-producer.
* signifies a vocal producer.
* signifies a co-producer and vocal producer.
* signifies an additional vocal producer.
* Tracks 4 to 17 of Tyla + reflect the tracklist of the standard edition.

## Personnel

Credits are adapted from the liner notes.

### Recording

* Geejam Studios – Port Antonio, Jamaica
* Miloco Studios – London, England
* Sarm Studios – London, England
* ACP Studios – Cape Town, South Africa
* SessionsAtlanta Studios – Atlanta, United States
* Criteria Studios – Miami, United States
* Home Away From Home Studios – London, England
* Just for the Road Studios – Los Angeles, United States
* Sony Music Studios – Los Angeles, United States

### Musicians

* Tyla – lead vocals (all tracks), background vocals (tracks 5, 7–12)
* Kelvin Momo – vocals (track 1)
* Sammy SoSo – bass, programming (tracks 3, 14); background vocals (9–11)
* Olmo Zucca – bass (track 3)
* Jack LoMastro – keyboards (track 3)
* Adenine Zen – choir (track 4)
* Greg Dwight – choir (track 4)
* Ivie Ideh – choir (track 4)
* Mari Songs – choir (track 4)
* PJ Greaves – choir (track 4)
* Paula – choir (track 4)
* Shanice Steele – choir (track 4)
* Sincerely Wilson – choir (track 4)
* Ari PenSmith – background vocals (tracks 5, 7, 9–12)
* Tems – lead vocals, background vocals (track 5)
* Jamal Europe – guitar (track 6)
* Nadia – violin (track 6)
* Believve – background vocals (tracks 8–11)
* Mocha – background vocals (tracks 9–11)
* Gunna – lead vocals (track 9)
* Skillibeng – lead vocals (track 9)
* James Mwanza – keyboards (track 10)
* Becky G – lead vocals (track 11)
* Gaetan Judd – guitar (track 12)
* Travis Scott – lead vocals (track 14)

### Technical

* Colin Leonard – mastering
* Oscar Cornejo – mixing (track 1), engineering (5, 10–14)
* Leandro "Dro" Higaldo – mixing (tracks 2–6, 8–14)
* Serge Courtois – mixing (track 7)
* Kelvin Momo – engineering (track 1)
* Richard Ledesma – engineering (tracks 2, 3, 14)
* Charlie Rolfe – engineering (tracks 2, 4, 5, 9)
* Sammy SoSo – engineering, arrangement (tracks 3, 14)
* Ebenezer Maxwell – engineering (tracks 3, 14)
* Jeremy Tomlinson – engineering (track 7)
* Sir Nolan – engineering (track 7)
* Believve – engineering, arrangement (track 8)
* Florian "Flo" Ongonga – engineering (track 9)
* Aidan Duncan – engineering assistance (tracks 2–5, 7–)
* Timothy Ishejamaica Kahwa – engineering assistance (tracks 10, 11)

## Certifications

Certifications for Tyla :
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
| Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) | Platinum | 40,000$^‡$ |
| Canada (Music Canada) | Gold | 40,000$^‡$ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ) | Gold | 7,500$^‡$ |
| Philippines (PARI) | Platinum | 15,000$^*$ |
| South Africa (RISA) | Gold | 25,000$^‡$ |
| United States (RIAA) | Gold | 500,000$^‡$ |
| $^*$ Sales figures based on certification alone. $^‡$ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |||

## Release history

Release dates and formats for Tyla :
| Region | Date | Format | Edition | Label |
| Various | 1 December 2023 | Digital downloadstreaming | EP | FAXEpic |
| Various | 22 March 2024 | CDdigital downloadstreamingvinyl | Standard | FAXEpic |
| United Kingdom | 22 March 2024 | CDdigital downloadstreamingvinyl | Standard | Since '93RCA |
| South Africa | 22 March 2024 | CDdigital downloadstreamingvinyl | Standard | Sony Music South Africa |
| United States | 22 March 2024 | CD (Target exclusive)vinyl LP (Target exclusive) | Standard | Epic |
| Japan | 7 August 2024 | CD | Japanese | Sony Music Japan |
| Various | 11 October 2024 | Digital downloadstreaming | Deluxe | FAXEpic |
| Various | 24 January 2025 | Vinyl | Deluxe | FAXEpic |
| Australia | 24 January 2025 | Vinyl | Deluxe | FAXEpic |
| Europe | 24 January 2025 | Vinyl | Deluxe | Epic |
| United States | 14 February 2025 | Vinyl | Deluxe | Epic |
| Ukraine | 14 February 2025 | Vinyl | Deluxe | Epic |
| South Africa | 14 March 2025 | Vinyl | Deluxe | Sony Music South Africa |