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Tyla Voices Her Frustration Over Persistent Comparisons To Previous Pop Icons
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Tyla covers Dazed Magazine’s Summer 2024 issue
South African superstar Tyla has voiced her frustration over persistent comparisons to previous pop icons, signaling her desire to move away from the constant déjà vu. Since rising to fame, the South African artist has often been likened to pop icons of the early 2000s, a comparison she’s keen to shake off.
In a cover story with Dazed published on Wednesday (June 5), Tyla expressed her annoyance with the frequent analogies drawn between her work, particularly her song “Water,” and Britney Spears’ iconic “I’m a Slave 4 U” visuals. “It’s getting boring now,” she remarked, highlighting the repetitive nature of these comparisons despite her team’s efforts to innovate.
Tyla clarified that these references are often exaggerated and not intentional. “Honestly, when people bring up these references, most of the time, there was never a reference. It’s never, ‘Make the video look completely like this,'” she explained.
She emphasized her commitment to originality, especially praising cinematographer Frank Mobilio, who banned storyboards during the production of the “Water” video to encourage creativity.
“We have so many cool things of this time, new creatives. I just love working with people who have new and fresh ideas,” Tyla said. She also highlighted the spontaneous nature of the choreography in her projects, which more or less contrasts with the precision often expected in pop music.
“If you’re dancing and sweating, you’re doing too much,” she explained. “Even the dances that we come up with, it’s literally random people who just did something they felt in the moment, which just caught on and now the world is doing it.”
“I’m still listening to my body,” the “Jump” creator told Dazed. “I think I need to take my time, not rush. I want to give people art and good performances, but I need to listen to my body and what I need.”
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