From her start at recording music in a makeshift wardrobe studio in Johannesburg to becoming the youngest African artist to win a Grammy, Tyla has had an unstoppable rise. She's dominated fashion weeks, lit up the VMAs and turned popiano, her signature fusion of Amapiano, Afrobeats, pop and R&B, into a global movement.
With her breakout hit Water earning critical acclaim and the Water Dance creating hundreds of thousands of social media iterations, the 23-year-old has solidified herself as both a musical and cultural force. And just like her sound, her style is ever-evolving—one moment in Nike Shox and a tracksuit, the next, giving high-glam red carpet.
Where there's music and style, there's sport. Which makes Tyla's new partnership with Nike such a natural fit. A lifelong fan of the brand who grew up coveting her brother's Nike hand-me-downs, the South African pop star has always embraced the crossover of sport, movement and music. Below, we hear from Tyla about the rhythm that drives her, the Nike staples she swears by and why she refuses to be put in a box.
What's your most defining Nike memory?
Growing up and seeing my brother get the hand-me-downs from my dad. They were always Nike, and I wanted them so badly. He was the only boy in the family, so he kind of got whatever he wanted. I'd just have to borrow them whenever I could.
How did you develop your signature sound and how has it evolved?
I'm so happy that I was able to come into the game with a sound that nobody has done, you know? The way my music sounds—nobody sounds like that. The fact that I have my own identity as an artist is what every artist, I'm sure, dreams of. So I'm just grateful that people vibe with it. It's bigger than where I'm from; it touches the world. And it's exciting because it shows just how far we can take this.
My hope for the next generation of African artists, especially women, is that we can make what we want to make and not be boxed into a specific genre. Depending on where you're from or the way you sound, even if you make something that's not generically Afrobeats, if you're from the continent, it's easy to be clumped together. I'd like for us to be able to exist in every space as artists—to create what we want and be recognised for it, without it being watered down into one thing.
In terms of my sound, it started with a vision. I knew that I wanted to be in pop, but I didn't want to do it in a normal way. I didn't want to be a generic pop girl. Where I'm from, I had huge influences from Western music, but also local music. I wanted to mix it all into one and see what I could do.
My manager had this small house in Johannesburg, and I would go there every weekend. They made a studio out of a wardrobe, and I remember always going in there, recording, trying new things, experimenting. That's where I wrote my first song.
From there, it just evolved into something I'm so proud of because it really felt like I brought a vision to life. When I signed to the label, I told them, "This is my vision. I really want this to be my sound". They supported me in that, and we just figured it out along the way.
"I want to be like a doll—get dressed up, make things work in different ways. Now, I see fashion as a challenge. If an outfit looks bad, I want to see how to make it work".
With your nonstop schedule, what Nike pieces do you rely on to stay comfortable and stylish on the go?
Definitely sneakers. Especially the Nike Shox. But recently I've been wearing the Clogposite collab with Supreme. I have every colour— literally every colour. I put them on for everything. At airports, in the studio, walking around. They're just so comfortable and convenient. I just feel like it makes you look more fly when you have a good shoe on.
"I knew that I wanted to be in pop, but I didn't want to do it in a normal way. I didn't want to be a generic pop girl. I wanted to mix it all into one and see what I could do".
Tyla, Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter
Tell us about your personal style and how it's evolved.
My style has evolved a lot over time. When I look back at some pictures, I'm like, "Oh my gosh, what were you thinking?" I get bored so quickly, and I change my mind all the time. I'll love an outfit today and a month later, I'll hate that I ever put it on.
People say my style is kind of "Flintstone"—ripped up, distressed, all that. It started when I had to dress up for shows but didn't have access to a lot of resources. Me and my friend Thato would take random pieces, cut them up, tie them together—literally make outfits out of nothing. The more I did it, the more I loved it, and it just became my thing. Now, I hate anything that looks too perfect.
I used to have a really clear vision for how I wanted to look. These days, I'm more open and experimenting. Before, I wasn't that deep into fashion—I'd just put something on, and if I felt fly, that was it. Now, with fashion weeks and having greater access to brands, I've really fallen in love with it. I want to try everything.
My aesthetic depends on how I want to feel. Sometimes I want to feel pretty, sometimes cosy, sometimes boyish. It depends on my mood. I don't want to look the same all the time. When I look back years from now, I want to see many different versions of myself. One hundred different Tylas.
What excites you most about this partnership?
I mean, I'm a Nike girl. I love the brand. Nike isn't just athletic clothes, it's fashion. I really like that because when I wear Nike, it doesn't feel like I'm just putting on a shoe or top. You feel fly wearing it. All the collabs, vintage Nike, it's always been something that I gravitated towards. I also love how diverse Nike is. I'm really excited to work together, not only to wear the clothes but to hopefully create something with the team too. Maybe a Tyla shoe? That would be fire.