{"id":797816,"date":"2026-03-10T13:16:17","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:16:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/numero.com\/?p=797816"},"modified":"2026-03-10T13:16:35","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:16:35","slug":"interview-tyla-singer-rnb-amapiano-princess-grammy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/numero.com\/en\/culture-en\/music\/interview-tyla-singer-rnb-amapiano-princess-grammy\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview with Tyla, the R\u2019n\u2019B princess spotted at the Jean Paul Gaultier show"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Tyla wearing a sports bra and skirt, MIU MIU. Necklace, MELLERIO. \u00a9 Sofia Sanchez and Mauro Mongiello.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

A young singer already crowned with two Grammy Awards<\/h2>\n\n

Throwback to 2005. Rapper and president of the prestigious record label Def Jam Recordings<\/strong>, Jay-Z<\/strong>, asks to meet an unknown young artist from Barbados, named Rihanna<\/strong><\/a>, for an audition after hearing demo recordings of her songs. She wears simple white jeans and a green blouse and dances shyly as she sings. Yet, her charisma and talent are undeniable.<\/p>\n\n

Impressed both by her moving rendition of Whitney Houston<\/strong><\/a>\u2019s For the Love of You<\/em> and by the original track Pon de Replay<\/em>, Beyonc\u00e9<\/strong><\/a>\u2019s husband signed Rihanna<\/strong> to a six-album contract with Def Jam on the very day of that now-famous audition. If there is one lesson to draw from this legendary story, it is that you can come from a place far removed from the American star system and become one of the biggest global stars.<\/p>\n\n

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https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=xiZUf98A1Ts<\/a><\/div>\r\n
Tyla – Chanel<\/em> (2025).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

It is no coincidence that Tyla<\/strong><\/a>, 24, cites Rihanna as one of her influences in our interview. Nor that she opened for the star\u2019s ex-boyfriend, Chris Brown<\/strong>, in 2025. Just like the iconic Rihanna<\/strong><\/a> opened a window onto Barbadian culture, Tyla<\/strong> wants to shine a light on her own country. \u201cI\u2019d like all eyes to turn toward African artists. We need more attention<\/em>.\u201d Determined and talented, the young singer from Johannesburg<\/strong> seems well on her way to making that happen.<\/p>\n\n

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https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=cD6qkQjTHq0<\/a><\/div>\r\n
Tyla – Bliss<\/em> (2025).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Kim Kardashian supports her<\/h2>\n\n

As Rihanna<\/strong>\u2019s phenomenal success has shown, you can come from a place far removed from the American entertainment industry and become one of the biggest stars in the world. A model and a major source of inspiration for the young singer from Johannesburg. Since her debut single Getting Late<\/em><\/strong>, released in 2019 and now boasting billions of streams, Tyla<\/strong><\/a>\u2019s glow has kept growing over time.<\/p>\n\n

A performance at a Dolce & Gabbana<\/strong> show in Milan, appearances at the Chanel<\/strong> Fall\/Winter 2025\u20132026 show, at the Jean Paul Gaultier\u00a0<\/strong>Fall\/Winter 2026-2027 show in Paris and at the Met Gala wearing Balmain<\/strong> in 2024 and Jacquemus<\/strong> in 2025, the release of Overdue<\/em><\/strong> (2021), featured on the soundtrack of the Netflix series Blood & Water<\/em><\/strong>, joining a major label, Epic Records, and Kim Kardashian<\/strong><\/a> posting a photo of her on Instagram\u2026 Tyla<\/a><\/strong> is the new rising pop star.<\/p>\n\n

\"Tyla\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button>
Tyla at the Chanel Fall\/Winter 2025-2026 show in March 2025. \u00a9 Chanel.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Memorable appearances at the Chanel show and the Met Gala<\/h2>\n\n

Everything accelerated when Tyla<\/strong> released her hit song Water<\/em><\/strong> (2023). It reached 313 million views on YouTube and became a TikTok challenge. Since then, she has been followed on Instagram by Rosal\u00eda<\/strong><\/a>, featured in an Instagram story by Cardi B<\/strong><\/a>, and remixed by Travis Scott<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

Other achievements? Barack Obama<\/strong> added one of her tracks to his playlist, Beyonc\u00e9<\/strong><\/a> sent her flowers, both literally and figuratively, and she won the award for Best African Music Performance at the 66th Grammy Awards in February 2024. In 2026, she won another Grammy Award<\/strong><\/a> for her track PUSH 2 START<\/em><\/strong>. She is also the youngest African artist ever to receive a Grammy.<\/p>\n\n

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Singer Tyla wearing a dress, LECOURT MANSION. Underwear, MIAOU. Hoop earrings and thigh boots, AMINA MUADDI. \u00a9 Sofia Sanchez and Mauro Mongiello.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Although she had to cancel her tour and her Coachella show due to an injury, her rise is far from over. Last March 2024, Tyla<\/strong> unveiled her eponymous debut album. This highly-anticipated project, following the Water<\/em><\/strong> phenomenon, features equally infectious tracks, such as On and On<\/em><\/strong>, Truth or Dare<\/em><\/strong>, and Butterflies<\/em><\/strong>, along with collaborations with Tems<\/strong><\/a>, Gunna<\/strong>, Becky G<\/strong> and Travis Scott<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n

After the release of her acclaimed first album in March 2024, the artist shared on Instagram the cover of a deluxe version of the same project, released in October 2024. Her fingers are holding a garden hose and her wet hair hides her face\u2026 The reference to the hit Water<\/em><\/strong> is clear. Our only hope is that the three new tracks included on this reissue live up to expectations\u2026<\/p>\n\n

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https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=XoiOOiuH8iI<\/a><\/div>\r\n
Tyla – Water<\/em> (2023).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Tyla\u2019s debut in the music industry<\/h2>\n\n

It only took a handful of singles – Getting Late<\/em><\/strong>, Overdue<\/em><\/strong>, Been Thinking<\/em><\/strong>, To Last<\/em><\/strong> – and a few swaying dance moves on TikTok for all eyes to turn to her beautiful face and her sensual tone. Yet, nothing seemed to predestine her to such success, as Tyla<\/strong> told Num\u00e9ro<\/em><\/strong> in Paris. \u201cI was born and raised in Johannesburg, in a big family of five children. My dad is an accountant and my mom doesn\u2019t really work, but she\u2019s tried just about every job out there. She\u2019s very creative. She makes jewelry, candles\u2026 I\u2019m very close to my siblings. We were all born about a year apart. My parents were very strict, so we often stayed at home, which basically forced us to become best friends<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

As she speaks about her joyful childhood, one can almost picture it\u2026 A canvas filled with bright colors, shouts and laughter. \u201cMy siblings and I were very loud<\/em>,\u201d she continues. \u201cWe were allowed to go to the corner store from time to time with our cousins. Sometimes my mom would ask us to help her sell old clothes. We\u2019d pick a random street corner, lay a blanket on the ground and call out to people to buy them. We\u2019d also go where taxis parked to sell fat cakes, also known as ‘magwinya’, which are African pastries. We were really my mom\u2019s sales team [laughs]. We weren\u2019t rich, but I loved my childhood!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n

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Tyla wearing a bustier and kilt, BALMAIN. Gloves and earrings, JACQUEMUS. Sports bra and skirt, MIU MIU. Necklace, MELLERIO. \u00a9 Sofia Sanchez and Mauro Mongiello.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Following in Rihanna\u2019s footsteps<\/h2>\n\n

As a child, Tyla<\/strong> wrote songs for Father\u2019s and Mother\u2019s Days. As a teenager, she would freestyle over instrumentals of famous tracks she found on YouTube, making up lyrics about boys she had crushes on. Believing in her lucky star, she eventually dared to post them on Instagram and send direct messages to stars like Rihanna<\/strong><\/a>, Drake<\/strong> and DJ Khaled<\/strong>, while still in high school.<\/p>\n\n

Although none of them replied, it was through those posts that the man who is still her manager today noticed her. That\u2019s when the fairy tale began. Every weekend, the singer would record music in the studio with her best friend, with whom she would joke around between takes.<\/p>\n\n

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Une publication partag\u00e9e par Tyla (@tyla)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\r\n