Tyla Beats Nigerian Stars To Win Best African Music Performance At The Grammys + 12 Things To Know About Her

Tyla was one of the most talked-about artists at the 2024 Grammys after she won the first-ever award for ‘Best African Music Performance.’

She won the award for her hit song ‘Water,’ beating stiff competition from Nigerian stars like Davido, Ayra Starr, and Burna Boy.

The Best African Music Performance Award category was introduced in June 2023 by the Recording Academy to recognize songs that utilize unique local expressions from across the African continent.

Here are some interesting things to know about the South African star.

1. She was born Tyla Laura Seethal on January 30, 2002, in Johannesburg, South Africa.

2. She hails from a family of Zulu, Indian, Mauritian, and Irish descent.

3. She was the head of culture at Edenglen High School. She matriculated in 2019.

4. She was discovered by her first manager, Garth von Glehn, who organized her first recording sessions.

5. Her debut single, “Getting Late,” was released in 2019, with its video amassing millions of views on YouTube and getting a nomination for Music Video of the Year at the 28th South African Music Awards in 2022.

6. She signed a recording contract with Epic Records through a joint venture with Fax Records in the United States in May 2021, following it up with the singles “Overdue” in October 2021 and “To Last” in November 2022.

7. Her first public performance occurred in 2023 during the Dolce & Gabbana afterparty at Milan Fashion Week, following the release of her single “Been Thinking.”

8. She released the single “Girl Next Door,” featuring Nigerian singer Ayra Starr, in May 2023.

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9. Tyla rose to international acclaim with the release of “Water” in July 2023 as the lead single from her self-titled debut studio album, which soon became a top-ten hit in sixteen countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom. Its accompanying music video, released on October 7, 2023, accumulated 3 million views on YouTube in three days.

10. With the success of Water, Tyla became the youngest-ever South African and the first South African soloist in 55 years to enter the US Billboard Hot 100.

11. Her self-titled debut album, ‘Tyla,’ is scheduled for release on March 22, 2024.

12. Her other nominations include a BRIT Award, a Soul Train Music Award, a MOBO Award, and two South African Music Awards.