Water (Tyla song)

"Water" is a song by South African singer Tyla from her debut studio album, Tyla (2024). It was released on 28 July 2023 by Fax and Epic Records as the album's lead single. An amapiano song with elements of pop, R&B and Afrobeats, it sees Tyla expressing a desire for a passionate, intimate tryst. Remix versions of the song by American rapper Travis Scott and record producer Marshmello were released on 17 November 2023.
"Water" reached number one in New Zealand, Romania, Suriname, and the United Arab Emirates. It peaked in the top ten of over 10 countries, including the United States (where Tyla was the youngest-ever South African and the first South African soloist in 55 years to enter the Billboard Hot 100, following Hugh Masekela's "Grazing in the Grass" in 1968). It was certified multi-platinum in a number of countries, including South Africa and the United States, and was certified diamond in Brazil by Pro-Música Brasil. The song topped Rolling Stone's list of the 40 best Afropop songs of 2023 and the Billboard Year-End U.S. Afrobeats Songs of 2024. "Water" won multiple accolades including the inaugural Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance, Billboard Music Award for Top Afrobeats Song and MTV Video Music Award for Best Afrobeats Video.
"Water" was produced by British record producer Sammy Soso. Production of the song began in London and finished in Los Angeles before it was sent to songwriters in Atlanta, who recorded a vocal demo. Tyla liked the instrumentation and recorded the song in Cape Town, South Africa. She told Interview that after finishing "Water", she was convinced that the song would be successful and dreamed about "watching [her] Spotify streams climb by the second". Before "Water" was released, Tyla successfully performed it as an opening act on the European leg of Chris Brown's Under the Influence Tour in early 2023. She first shared a snippet of the song and its accompanying dance challenge on TikTok in July 2023. Choreographed by South African dancer Lee-ché "Litchi" Janecke and inspired by the Bacardi dance style which originated in Pretoria, the dance involves shaking one's hips before pouring water down one's back in time to the song's chorus. Originally intended for a different song with a more-appropriate musical genre for this dance style, Tyla insisted to Janecke that the choreography would work with "Water" and decided to add the water-pouring to help the song go viral.
Tyla released another teaser and announced the song's release date via social media on 16 July 2023. The song was previewed on 21 July 2023 during an interview with Tyla on Spotify's Mic Check podcast series after she appeared on the streaming platform's Radar program for emerging artists. She posted its cover art on social media on 25 July, before it was released on 28 July 2023. The song gained traction on TikTok in August 2023 after a video of Tyla doing the accompanying dance during a live performance went viral. By mid-September, it began surging in streams and videos on TikTok. In the United States, it impacted rhythmic contemporary radio on 3 October, and contemporary hit radio on 24 October. The song was also played on European radio that month. Originally planned as the lead single from Tyla's debut EP, it was the first single from her debut studio album after her international breakthrough. Released on 17 November 2023, "Water" had remix versions by American rapper and labelmate Travis Scott and record producer Marshmello.
"Water" blends pop and amapiano (described by Tyla as "popiano"), with elements of R&B and afrobeats music. The song was written in 4 time in the key of D♯ minor, with a moderately-fast tempo of 117 beats per minute (BPM). Tyla's vocals on the track span between the low note of G♯3 and the high note of C♯5, giving the song one octave and five tones of vocal range. It is characterised by a prominent amapiano log drum, sensuous melodies, and Tyla's "euphonious" vocals.
About the song's lyrics, Tyla described it as "kind of a naughty song" and told Rolling Stone that "the meaning of the song is frisky: it's [her] letting a guy know, 'Show me what you got to offer. I'm done with all the talk.'" She was inspired by songs which are indirect and use sexual innuendo, citing "Rock the Boat" by American singer Aaliyah as an example. Tyla uses vivid imagery to express her desire for what Neon Music described as "an all-consuming, soul-stirring connection" involving romance and sex.
After becoming popular on the online video platform TikTok in August 2023, the hashtags #TylaWaterChallenge and #TylaWater had over 446.8 million views with over 600,000 videos in October. "Water" peaked at number 11 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50. It entered the Billboard US Afrobeats Songs chart at number 37 on 9 September 2023, topping it before debuting at number 67 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on 14 October 2023. Tyla was the youngest-ever South African and the first South African soloist in over 55 years to enter the Hot 100, following Hugh Masekela's "Grazing in the Grass" in 1968. "Water" peaked at number seven on the chart on 13 January 2024, making Tyla the highest-charting African female soloist on the Hot 100 and surpassing Miriam Makeba's peak with "Pata Pata" (number 12 in 1968). The song reached number four in the Philippines and number 10 in Panama. Luminate reported that during the tracking week of 22–28 March 2024, "Water" had 10.3 million streams in the United States (a 17% increase over the preceding week's 8.8 million). In song sales and radio airplay (the final two measures influencing the Hot R&B Songs chart), "Water" had a 17-percent increase in download sales over that time and a four-percent decrease in airplay audience across all formats with 2,000 downloads sold. It topped the World Digital Song Sales, Rhythmic Airplay and Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay charts in the United States. "Water" peaked at number 15 in Canada, where it was certified triple platinum by Music Canada, and was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in the United States. The song was certified Gold in Mexico by the Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas (AMPROFON).
"Water" made its first-ever chart appearance on the Hot Singles Chart in New Zealand on 21 August 2023 (where it topped the NZ Singles Chart on 30 October), and was certified triple platinum by Recorded Music NZ. It entered the UK Afrobeats Singles Chart at number 13 on 9 September 2023 before debuting at number 55 on the UK Singles Chart on 21 September 2023, where it peaked at number four five weeks later. The song topped the Afrobeats chart and the UK R&B Chart. "Water"'s music video reached number 2 on the UK Music Video Charts, and the song was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry. It peaked at number 5 in South Africa, where it was later certified quadruple platinum. "Water" was only certified triple diamond in Turkey and double platinum in India. On 19 February 2025, Tyla became the African solo artist to surpass 1 billion streams on Spotify.
The music video for "Water" premiered on YouTube on 6 October 2023, where it had three million views in three days. Filmed in New York City, the video was directed by Child. and C&P. In the video, Tyla and friends prepare for a night out at a beachside party. She performs the "Water" choreography at the party before dancing sensually with her love interest near the end of the video. Tyla told Essence that she wanted to create something that felt "hot and steamy", saying that it was the first time she had explored a love story in one of her music videos. By September 2024, the music video had over 230 million views.
The music video for the remix, featuring Travis Scott and directed by Nabil Elderkin, premiered on 18 March 2024. In the video, Tyla sings her verse as Scott stands on the opposite side of a wet, foggy glass in a shadowy place; the rapper then performs his verse standing next to Tyla.
On 11 September 2024, "Water" received the MTV Video Music Award for Best Afrobeats Video at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards. In her acceptance speech, Tyla identified as a South African amapiano artist. Nigerian radio personality, Do2tun, took to social media and called her a hypocrite for accepting an Afrobeats accolade.
"Water" lost the Record of the Year award to Mthandeni SK and Lwah Ndlunkulu's "Paris" at the 30th Annual South African Music Awards. Following the conclusion of the main show on 2 November, Cassper Nyovest posted on Twitter to express his feelings on how Tyla was snubbed of the accolade. In response, Mthandeni SK implied that Nyovest, a hip hop musician, was trying to use maskandi to regain fame. In Nyovest's apology, he suggested a boxing match to address their issues.
"Water" was first performed in Portugal in June 2023 at Afro Nation Portugal, before its release. Tyla then performed "Water" in August 2023 for Vevo's DSCVR program, a video series which spotlights emerging artists. She made her international television debut in early October 2023, performing the song on The Bianca Show in Sweden and being interviewed by the host. Tyla also performed the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in the United States later that month. She performed a remix of the song with DJ Black Coffee at a Sandton nightclub in December 2023. Tyla performed the song in a medley with her follow-up single, "Truth or Dare", during the finale of season 24 of the American talent-competition show The Voice later that month. Tyla performed a medley of "On and On", "Truth or Dare", and "Water" in Times Square on the 2024 Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve television special.
She then attended the Prelude to the 2024 Olympic Games at the Foundation Louis Vuitton in Paris on 25 July 2024, wearing a black-velvet Louis Vuitton tracksuit, where she performed a medley of "Thata Ahh", "Jump" and "Water" in an oversized Louis Vuitton jersey and spandex shorts. Tyla performed most of the tracks from the album, including "Breathe Me" and "Water", and cover songs at the 2024 edition of the Summer Sonic Festival in Osaka on 17 August 2024. In a 45-minute-long Tokyo performance the following day, she opened with "Safer" and "On My Body" (performed with Becky G), and closed with "Water". From 23 to 25 August 2024, she performed "Water" at the LaLaLa Festival in Jakarta. 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 30th Annual MTV Europe Music Awards.
On 10 August 2024, Basadi in Music Awards honoured Tyla with the Highest Airplay accolade for "Water" at the 3rd Annual Basadi In Music Awards. It was awarded the Global Force Award by Billboard on 8 September 2024, at the inaugural Billboard R&B's No. 1s held in New York.
Credits are adapted from the digital liner notes.