Tyla Biography
Tyla Laura Seethal (born January 30, 2002), sometimes known as Tyla, is a South African singer and composer.
Born and bred in Johannesburg, she signed with Epic Records in 2021 after the domestic success of her 2019 debut hit, “Getting Late” (with Kooldrink).
Tyla soared to international prominence after her 2023 song “Water” debuted in the top ten of sixteen nations, including the United Kingdom and the United States. “Water” was the first song by a South African singer to reach the US Billboard Hot 100 in 55 years, and it earned the inaugural Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance in 2024.
The song came before her self-titled debut album (2024), which was released to critical acclaim and moderate commercial success, entering the top 25 in six countries, including the United States.
Tyla is the youngest African singer to win a Grammy, and she has received nominations for a BRIT Award, a Soul Train Music Award, a MOBO Award, and two South African Music Awards.
She has been labeled the “queen of popiano” a merger of the pop and amapiano genres.
Tyla parents
Get to know Tyla’s parents. The “Water” singer was born in Johannesburg in January 2002, the daughter of Sharleen and Sherwin Seethal.
While her parents have remained mostly out of the spotlight in comparison to the renowned hitmaker, the Grammy-winning performer has opened up about her mom and dad in various interviews.
Tyla Early Life
Tyla Laura Seethal. was born on January 30, 2002, in Edenvale, East Rand, to Sharleen and Sherwin Seethal.
Her family is Coloured, including Indian, Zulu, Irish, and Mauritian ancestors.
She was reared in Johannesburg, Gauteng, and graduated from Edenglen High School in 2019 after serving as the school’s head of culture that year.
While in school, she began posting original songs and covers on her Instagram account and sending them to various music industry figures.
Her first manager, Garth von Glehn, spotted her and arranged for her first recording sessions.
Tyla says she would go to the recording studio every weekend during her senior year of high school.
Tyla Career
Tyla self-released her debut single, “Getting Late,” featuring production by Kooldrink, in late 2019, after graduating from high school, and it became a nationwide hit.
The accompanying song video, shot intermittently between the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns by her manager, was published in January 2021.
It received many million views on YouTube and was nominated for the South African Music Award for Best Music Video of the Year in 2022.
Tyla had been studying for a degree in mining engineering, and after considerable pleading and “a lot of crying,” her parents agreed to allow her to take a year off from university to try to kickstart her music career.
In May 2021, she got a recording contract with Epic Records as part of a joint venture with Fax Records in the United States.
After her debut song, she released “Overdue” in October 2021 and “To Last” in November 2022.
2023 – Present: International breakthrough with “Water”
Tyla’s first public performance was in 2023 at the Dolce & Gabbana afterparty at Milan Fashion Week, following the release of her single “Been Thinking,” which earned Tyla her first chart placements of her career, on the Billboard Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and Rhythmic Airplay charts.
Heven Haile of Pitchfork described it as a “slick club anthem that channels the seductive pop-R&B hits of mid-2000s Ciara and Rihanna.”
Tyla then appeared as the opening act for Chris Brown’s Under the Influence Tour.
She released the track “Girl Next Door” in May 2023, which features Nigerian artist Ayra Starr.
In July 2023, she released the song “Water” as the lead single from her upcoming self-titled debut studio album.
After creating a viral dance challenge on the social media site TikTok, the song became a top 10 success in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia, among other nations.
Tyla became the youngest South African and the first South African soloist in 55 years to reach the US Billboard Hot 100, following Hugh Masekela’s “Grazing in the Grass” in 1968.
Tyla played “Water” live on The Bianca Show in Sweden and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in the United States.
Its accompanying music video, released on October 6, 2023, had 3 million views on YouTube in three days.
Tyla was later featured on a remix of Summer Walker’s song “Girls Need Love,” which was released as part of the latter’s Girls Mix extended play in October 2023.
On the eve of December 2023, she announced the March release of her debut studio album, Tyla (2024), and simultaneously released three new tracks called “Truth or Dare”, “On and On”, and “Butterflies” as promotional singles from the project on an extended play of the same name.
Tyla sang a mashup of “Water” and “Truth or Dare” on The Voice’s season 24 finale on December 19, 2023.
Tyla won the first Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance with “Water” at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards in February 2024, becoming the youngest African musician to do so.
Tyla’s self-titled debut album was officially published on March 22, 2024, through Fax and Epic Records.
The single “Art” and the accompanying music video were released simultaneously with the album.
Tyla earned considerable critical praise and was a top 25 album in the United States, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, and Switzerland.
Tyla had the most nominations at the 18th Metro FM Music Awards in South Africa, with six.
Artistry
Tyla’s major musical influences include Michael Jackson, Aaliyah, Rihanna, Britney Spears, Drake, Cassie, Tems, and Wizkid.
She has stated that she aims to be the first global pop artist from Africa.
11 facts about Tyla, a South African artist whose song ‘Water’ is ascending the Billboard charts.
- Tyla was born and raised in South Africa.
- She credits Aaliyah and Rihanna as influences.
- She became well-known through TikTok.
- She dropped out of university to pursue music.
- She made history with her song “Water.”
- She has supported Chris Brown on tour.
- She likes to paint.
- She wants to cooperate with Drake.
- She has some bizarre ick.
- Her debut is coming soon.
- She has her sights set on world dominance.
Tyla Songs
Water
To Last
Safer
No. 1
Breathe Me
Intro
Thata Ahh
Ngowom
Not An Angel
Hip Don’t Lie
Girl Next Door
Ke Shy
City Of Dream
On And On
Overdue
On My Body
Jump
Truth Or Dare
Art
Butterflies
Been Thinking
Tyla Social Media
Tyla TikTok
@tyla_ Debut TV performance of Water🤍🐅
Who Is Tyla?
Tyla Lauren Seethal Tyla, a prominent South African singer, songwriter, and dancer, is better known by her stage name. She is well-known for successful songs such as “Getting Late” feat. Kooldrink and her Amapiano smash, “Water”.
Is Tylas’ father ethnically Indian?
According to a Lipstick Alley post, her parents are both African, although she comes from a mixed household. Tyla’s mother is a South African native of Zulu ethnicity with some Irish lineage, while her father is from Mauritius, an East African country, albeit he is of Indian heritage.
Where is Tyla from her parents?
Born in Johannesburg in January 2002, the “Water” singer is the daughter of Sharleen and Sherwin Seethal.
Tyla is extremely popular, so why is that?
Why is Tyla so popular? Tyla achieved overnight global fame because of the viral reach of her Grammy Award-winning song “Water,” which included a popular TikTok dance and worldwide acclaim. She subsequently went on to open for Chris Brown on tour and record her first album.
Tyla won a Grammy for what song?
“This is crazy, I never thought I’d say I won a GRAMMY at 22 years old.” Despite facing heavy competition from huge Afrobeats musicians Burna Boy and Davido, the tremendous popularity of Tyla’s breakthrough song “Water” was clear for GRAMMY voters.
