On February 4, 2024, Tyla won the first major award of her career, a Grammy for the just inaugurated Best African Music Performance category at the 66th edition of music鈥檚 most prestigious night. 鈥淚 never thought I鈥檇 say I鈥檝e won a Grammy at 22 years old,鈥 she said as she accepted the plaque amid a rousing ovation.
The South African artiste was in stiff competition in a category that had Nigeria鈥檚 Burna Boy, Davido, Ayra Starr, Asake and Olamide as co-nominees. But her hugely successful 2023 single, Water, proved just enough to secure the win. SA鈥檚 pop princess has been at it for all of five years. While her meteoric rise to the top can be credited to the massive success of the sexy, orgasm-charged single off her upcoming self-titled debut album, Tyla, here鈥檚 a rundown of her seven other songs that should be on your radar.
Getting Late
Tyla released her debut single Getting Late, featuring South African record producer, Kooldrink, in 2019. With a catchy chorus 鈥 鈥淏aby, I know it鈥檚 getting late鈥 鈥 Tyla tells her love interest she鈥檚 not one to waste time. It was her official introduction to the world and music lovers鈥 first taste of her velvety vocals, and perhaps, her general sense of urgency.
If you鈥檝e ever wondered what Ariana Grande sounds like on an amapiano beat, this song is your answer.
Been Thinking
Tyla is trying to make sense of the all-consuming nature of love. She expresses infatuation and longing for a lover in the uptempo, rhythmic, two-minute track. You should put a spin on this if you love Tiwa Savage鈥檚 Pick Up.
Truth or Dare
This song is one of three released tracks off her self-titled upcoming album set for release on March 1, 2024. Tyla opens the three-minute-long track with a triple barrel question to a seemingly unserious love interest: 鈥 Did you say you鈥檙e on your way? Why now? When you just went MIA?鈥 By the time she gets to the chorus, all she wants to know is where her partner鈥檚 head is at and the sincerity of their intentions to her. This one is perfect for relationship people with partners who are moving funny.
Butterflies
The intro treats listeners to a satisfying cocktail of Tyla鈥檚 velvety vocals backed by a piano. She sings about a love interest who sends her stomach fluttering with butterflies. 鈥淵ou give me butterflies, got me falling in the deep end of your disguise.鈥 But she very quickly smacks her listeners out of fairytale la la land when she calls the lover out with, 鈥淪o I fear this might be goodbye. I don鈥檛 need reparations, boy, bye.鈥 If you鈥檝e got a 鈥淏ye bye to fuckboys鈥 playlist, this song should be on it.
Girls Need Love remix
Released in late 2023, Girls Need Love is that one song where Tyla states categorically that 鈥淚鈥檓 that GIRL鈥. She pulled in as a featured artist on yet another remixed version of the 2019 hit track by R&B sensation, Summer Walker. Tyla sings her heart out about how girls need intimacy and physical connection too, and should be able to communicate these desires without caving under societal expectations. When Summer Walker closes off her verse with 鈥淕irls can鈥檛 never say, Now, oh now, babe,鈥 Tyla reinforces her message with the line: 鈥淚f I come off as thirsty, know I鈥檓 just that.鈥
Water
The three-minute track leaves no room for guesses about its intention as it opens up with the intensely vivid chorus: 鈥淢ake me sweat, makeake me hotter, make me lose my breath, make me water.鈥 And then, it follows up with more orgasm-charged verses that make for a completely satisfying experience for listeners. The global standout hit,聽Water,聽takes a deep dive into the depths of romance, sex and orgasm. It鈥檚 the one track off Tyla鈥檚 discography that screams 鈥渉orny鈥 the most, earning Tyla her first Grammy nomination, and win. It also earned her her first Billboard Hot 100 feature, debuting at 67, and making her the highest-charting African female solo artist聽of all time. The hit single peaked at number 7 and has spent over 16 weeks on the chart 鈥 a huge achievement for a solo non-American singer with no features.聽
To Last
Released in late 2022, the verses of聽To Last聽carry a heaviness that聽drives聽Tyla鈥檚 not so subtle message of disappointment and betrayal by her first love. 鈥淐an鈥檛 beg for love to stay. Never thought you鈥檇 be my first heartbreak. Don鈥檛 know what more to say,鈥 she sings. However, the sober and heartbreaking mood of the song is delivered with the chorus where she comes out with it and says her love interest never gave their relationship a chance, and in fact, didn鈥檛 want it to last. The melody is everything on this song, and anyone nursing a heartbreak will find comfort in this one.
