Tyla on fame, pressure and going global: 'God rushed the process for me'
Tyla talks about how she had to deal with her overnight success.
Image: Screenshot / TikTok
South African superstar Tyla is opening up about the whirlwind year that launched her from performing in small venues in Johannesburg to showcasing her talent on international stages alongside the likes of Chris Brown.
During a recent appearance on The Dotty Show, the 22-year-old singer spoke candidly about the pressures that came with becoming a global sensation almost overnight.
“To be honest, yeah. I kind of had a way I wanted to do this and a way I thought things would’ve happened, but God obviously rushed that process for me,” she told host Dotty.
Tyla shot to global fame in 2023 when her viral hit single “Water” dominated charts and was all over social media around the world.
The viral amapiano-infused track not only introduced her to a wider audience but also placed her under a spotlight she admits she wasn’t fully prepared for.
“There were a lot of times where I felt like, damn, I wish I had a little bit more time before the world saw my rough drafts, before the world saw me figuring things out,” she said. “Because when ‘Water’ blew up, I was still learning myself as an artist.”
Before her breakout, Tyla says that she performed in clubs and small gigs across South Africa, often on bar tables with her best friend acting as her DJ.
She had limited experience on bigger stages until being thrust into the deep end, joining Chris Brown’s international tour and rapidly becoming one of the most talked-about new acts in music.
“I never had that much experience until obviously I was thrown in the deep end with the Chris Brown tour, and then ‘Water’ blew up,” she explained.
The pressure to prove herself became immediate.
“I felt like I just wanted to still experiment, but I had to get everything right straight away because the world was like, okay, well now you’re here. Let’s see if you’re going to live up to it.”
Tyla has since proven that she’s not just a one-hit wonder and even has a Grammy Award to her name.
Most recently, she dropped her highly anticipated new single “Dynamite” featuring Nigerian Afrobeats star Wizkid.
The track blends her signature sultry vocals with a smooth, Afro-infused rhythm, which has cemented her status as a force in the global music scene.
IOL Entertainment