‘WHEREVER I GO, I’M MYSELF – A SOUTH AFRICAN GIRL, NO MATTER WHAT. MY ACCENT IS WHO I AM AND I LOVE IT’
’BABY TYLA WAS PROBABLY THE MOST DRAMATIC BABY THAT EVER WAS BORN’
BIG COLLABS
She made a bold move last year by joining controversial rapper Chris Brown as the supporting act of his 2023 Under the Influence European tour. Her gamble paid off and soon she was working with some of the biggest names in music, including American singer Summer Walker and rapper Travis Scott. “Every time I’d wake up and be like, ‘What’s happening? Am I in a movie? Is this fake?’ It just doesn’t feel real, especially coming from South Africa where not many of us make it this far.” She’s also shared the stage with African artists Burna Boy, Davido, Asake and Olamide, all of whom are nominated alongside her in the best African music performance category at the upcoming Grammy Awards. Tyla has listed Drake and Doja Cat as her bucket-list collaborations. “Doja Cat’s father [actor Dumisani Dlamini] is South African so she can’t say no,” she quips.
CULTURE CLASH
Tyla, who’s of Indian, Zulu, Mauritian and Irish descent, found herself at the centre of a cultural conflict after proclaiming her coloured identity in a viral TikTok video.
The term carries a vastly different connotation in the US where it’s considered a racial slur and it ignited a heated debate among fans from
SA and America on social media.
Tyla didn’t let it get to her.
She says she’s proud of her heritage.
“Wherever I go, I’m myself – a South African girl, no matter what.
“My accent is who I am and I love it.”
The South African songstress is so connected to her roots she takes a piece of home with her wherever she goes.
“I travel with a big packet of pap so I can make it wherever I go,” the singer says.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Tyla might be petite, but her personality and ambition could swallow a room. She doesn’t want to be a one-hit wonder and plans to release her self-titled debut album in March this year.
“I just keep thanking God, I thank God every day,” she says. “And sometimes I cry a little because my dreams are literally coming true.
“I can’t imagine what little Tyla would think right now if I had to tell her that this was going to happen.”
Her plan is to be the biggest pop star on the continent and she wants to pay her parents back for their unwavering support. “I want to eventually buy their dream home and make sure they don’t need to work another day in their life.”