Early Life and Background
Tyla Laura Seethal, popularly known as Tyla, is a South African singer and songwriter born on January 30, 2002, in Johannesburg. Of Zulu, Indian, and Mauritian descent, she identifies as Colored and grew up in a culturally rich environment. After completing her studies at Edenglen High School in 2019, where she served as the head of culture, Tyla initially pursued mining engineering. However, her passion for music led her to share covers and original songs on Instagram, catching the attention of her first manager, who facilitated her initial recording sessions.
**Breakthrough and Music Career**
Tyla’s debut single, *”Getting Late,”* produced by Kooldrink, was released in late 2019 and quickly gained widespread popularity in South Africa. The accompanying music video earned a nomination for *Music Video of the Year* at the 2022 South African Music Awards. This success led to her signing a record deal with Epic Records in collaboration with Fax Records.
In 2023, Tyla’s career gained international momentum. Her single *”Been Thinking“* marked her first entry on the Billboard Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart. That same year, she performed live for the first time at a Dolce & Gabbana event during Milan Fashion Week. Pitchfork’s Heven Haile praised the track as a “cool dance song” reminiscent of mid-2000s pop and R&B icons like Ciara and Rihanna. Tyla also joined Chris Brown on his *Under the Influence Tour* across Europe as an opening act.
Following her collaborative single *”Girl Next Door”* with Nigerian artist Ayra Starr in May 2023, Tyla released *”Water“* in July 2023. The track became a global sensation, reaching the top of the UK Afrobeats Singles Chart and breaking into the top 10 in countries such as New Zealand, the Netherlands, and the UK, thanks in part to a viral TikTok dance challenge. In the United States, *”Water”* debuted at number 67 on the Billboard Hot 100, making Tyla the youngest South African artist to achieve this feat and the first in 55 years, following Hugh Masekela’s 1968 hit Grazing in the Grass.”
Tyla’s remarkable achievements have cemented her status as a rising global music icon, showcasing South African talent on the world stage.
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