Tyla Laura Seethal, professionally known as Tyla, is a South African singer-songwriter who has rapidly become one of the most influential voices in contemporary African music. Born and raised in Edenvale, Johannesburg, she grew up in a multicultural household with Zulu, Indian, Mauritian, Irish, English, and Indonesian ancestry. From a young age, Tyla was passionate about music, posting covers on social media and writing her own songs. She graduated from Edenglen High School in 2019, where she served as Head of Culture, and soon after began pursuing her music career full-time.
Her debut single “Getting Late” (2019), produced by Kooldrink, gained national success and opened doors for her in the industry. In 2021, she signed with Epic Records, marking the beginning of her international journey. Tyla’s breakthrough came with the release of “Water” in 2023, which became the first song by a South African soloist in 55 years to enter the US Billboard Hot 100. The track not only topped charts globally but also earned her the inaugural Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance. Following this, she released her self-titled debut album Tyla (2024), which received critical acclaim, and later expanded her discography with We Wanna Party (2025) and APop* (2026).
Tyla’s artistry is defined by her fusion of amapiano rhythms with pop and R&B influences, creating a fresh sound that resonates worldwide. She has won multiple awards, including MTV Video Music Awards, BET Awards, and MTV Europe Music Awards, while also being nominated for BRIT and Soul Train Music Awards. Beyond her music, Tyla is admired for popularizing African dance styles like bacardi and for representing African culture on a global stage.