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Tyla said she wasn’t ready for fame when her song ‘Water’ became a hit
South African music sensation Tyla has opened up about the emotional toll of her rapid rise to global stardom following the massive success of her hit single, Water.
Speaking in a recent interview with Variety, the Grammy-winning singer revealed that the meteoric impact of the track caught her unprepared, as she had hoped for more time to grow into her artistry without pressure.
“When ‘Water’ happened, I wasn’t ready. I became obsessed with the idea of doing things ‘right.’ I wanted more time to make mistakes to fully figure out who I am as an artist, but then things just went … Well, you know,” she admitted.
At just 21 years old, Tyla’s career took an explosive turn with Water, which earned her widespread acclaim and a string of prestigious awards. The pop anthem dominated charts globally and swept several major music honours.
Among her numerous accolades are wins in the Afrobeats categories at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs), American Music Awards (AMAs), and the BET Awards, where she was named Best International Act. Tyla also made history by clinching the inaugural Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance.
Despite her accolades, the Johannesburg-born artist disclosed that her early experiences in the music industry were marked by creative frustrations. After signing with Epic Records in 2021 at the age of 19, she was encouraged to make music that did not align with her artistic vision.
“[Those songs] didn’t feel like me at all. I remember being in my hotel room, and my managers were calling me, ‘Come down, we need to cut the song.’ I was crying and thinking, ‘This is not what I want. I didn’t get signed to do this.’ They had to [coax] me out of that room,” she said.
Tyla described that difficult period as a defining moment that pushed her to embrace African music more deeply and assert her creative direction. “It made me more persistent in keeping my ideas,” she added.
Now known for her distinct fusion of African rhythms and global pop sounds, Tyla continues to build on her breakout success. She recently released the official video for Dynamite, her latest collaboration with Nigerian Afrobeats icon, Wizkid — an artist she has cited as a major influence on her musical style.
With her unique sound, raw honesty, and a growing global fanbase, Tyla is fast proving that her early challenges only strengthened her resolve to stay true to her roots.