Tyla is continuing her busy year by making an appearance on A Colors Show to perform a unique spin of her sing “On And On.” With just a dangling microphone in the room, it gives her vocals a crisp, crystal-clear sound that shows off just how talented she is.
“Let’s take it back in time / Party like it’s ’95,” she sings in the pre-chorus, making it a chill take on the carefree anthem. “I just wanna dance all night / You know that I like it like that / Let’s take it back in time / When the Parties were like ’95 / I just wanna dance all night / Tell them, ‘Turn the lights out.’”
The track has been rumored to be included on her forthcoming self-titled debut album, which has been suspected to be dropping in early 2024. At the very least, she has new music coming. Tyla made waves through the success of her song, “Water.”
“As soon as I heard ‘Water,’ I said, ‘It’s over.’ We have the song,” she told Rolling Stone about the experience of appreciating her song on first listen. “I would describe ‘Water’ as the song of the year… it’s the sound of Africa. It’s not only for Africa, but it’s for the world… It’s literally me [bringing] Africa to the world.”
Check out Tyla’s new “On And On” performance above.
Tyla hit The Jennifer Hudson Show and spoke about her viral hit “Water.” During her visit to the hit daytime show, Tyla and Hudson left the chairs of the talk show set up so the singer could show the Oscar winner how to do the viral dance. You can see it below.
Emerging artist Tyla has become a social media sensation, amassing over one million Instagram followers since her debut single, “Water,” made its way into the Billboard Hot 100 chart and ignited a viral TikTok dance challenge.
A recent study by NetInfluencer analyzed Tyla’s social media metrics, shedding light on the remarkable growth in her following since the release of “Water.” The 21-year-old artist’s Instagram following witnessed a meteoric rise of 1.5 million since the single’s launch on July 28th. This surge was primarily fueled by the viral dance challenge associated with the track, which attracted an impressive 600,000 new Instagram and 200,000 TikTok followers within the first month.
Tyla’s TikTok account, @Tyla_, saw a staggering 3.8 million new followers joining since August, leading to a significant spike in her estimated earnings per post, now reaching an astonishing $11,800.
“Water” entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart in October, further accelerating Tyla’s social media ascent. During this period, she acquired an additional 865,000 Instagram followers, surging from 1.4 million to an impressive 2.3 million followers, averaging 30,000 new followers daily.
This surge in followers has translated into enhanced earning potential, with Tyla now estimated to earn approximately $5,860 per sponsored Instagram post, based on her substantial follower count and an impressive 16.19% engagement rate.
“Rarely do you see a new artist make a worldwide impact such as Tyla, having already made a historic entry with Water, reaching the top 10 on the Billboard Global 200,” a NetInfluencer spokesperson said. “TikTok played a significant role in its success, with social media analytics revealing the singer rapidly gained followers and entered the global charts after going viral. This could lead other artists to try to replicate Tyla’s social media success, to which TikTok contributed greatly. It will be interesting to see what the singer does next to build on her rising fame”.
Notably, Tyla’s Instagram followers now include celebrities such as Naomi Campbell, Drake, and Chance the Rapper.
“Water” has cemented its place as one of the most popular songs on TikTok in the last 30 days, and with over 117 million Spotify plays, it can potentially earn the artist nearly $471,000, based on the average earnings per stream.
Tyla has carved her name into history as the youngest South African artist in over 50 years to grace the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Jack Harlow has had a big 2023 already, but it looks like he is not slowing down anytime soon. Back in the early stages of the year, the Louisville, Kentucky rapper dropped his more lyrically-focused record, Jackman. It was an all-killer and no-filler type of album. With just 10 songs at around 24 minutes and change, Harlow was spitting about some personal battles, white men in the rap game, and more. LPs like that do not really do well numbers-wise and that was the case for him too. However, he seems to be going back to what he does best.
That is to make catchy singles that slowly work their way into your head. His latest crack at this formula is “Lovin On Me.” It draws heavy inspiration from one of Jack’s biggest idols, Drake. He nabs the melody from “The Motto,” and adds a little element of what makes him who is. The track is doing serious numbers right now, with over 65.5 million streams on Spotify already. After being out for two weeks, it takes over the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, according to Uproxx.
This now gives the 25-year-old his third consecutive number-one hit. The tracks to do this before it are “First Class” and “Industry Baby” with Lil Nas X. In another new development amongst the top 10, we have up-and-comer, Tyla, with her summer-ready groove, “Water.” This dropped back in July, but it has just reached the upper echelon of bops. It slips and slides right into the tenth spot. Tyla’s first bonafide breakthrough track is just over 200 million plays. Additionally, she just released some new versions with Travis Scott and Marshmello.
What are your initial thoughts on Jack Harlow going number one with “Lovin On Me” and Tyla making the top 10 with “Water?” Which song do you feel is better? Are these two tracks the best hit songs of 2023? We would like to hear what you have to say about all of this. With that in mind, be sure to leave all of your hottest takes in the comments section below. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest breaking news around Jack Harlow and Tyla. Furthermore, stay with us for everything else going on around the music world.
Every Monday, Billboard unveils the top 10 songs on the latest Hot 100 chart. The most recent rankings, for the chart dated December 2, are out now, so let’s run down who had this week’s biggest hits.
10. Tyla — “Water”
What a breakout year for Tyla: The South African artist has herself a breakout hit with “Water,” and now it is one of only relatively few songs ever to find itself in the top 10 of the Hot 100, after rising from No. 15 last week. Remixes with Marshmello and Travis Scott released on November 17 gave the track the boost it needed this frame.
9. Taylor Swift — “Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version) [From The Vault]”
8. Brenda Lee — “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree”
The holiday season really makes time irrelevant: Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” celebrates its 65th anniversary this year, and here the Christmas classic is in the top 10 of the Hot 100.
7. Tate McRae — “Greedy”
Like Tyla, McRae just had her first top 10, although “Greedy” achieved the feat last week. Now, its success continues as the song rises up a spot from No. 8 to No. 7.
Bryan and Musgraves’ collab has been a multi-genre force over the past few months: Aside from maintaining a Hot 100 presence, it’s currently No. 1 on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs and Hot Rock Songs charts for a 13th week and on the Hot Country Songs for a ninth.
5. SZA — “Snooze”
“Snooze” is thriving right now, as SZA’s hit remains in the top 5 of the Hot 100 while leading the Hot R&B Songs chart for a 17th week.
4. Mariah Carey — “All I Want For Christmas Is You”
Yes, it’s starting again. Every year, Carey’s 1994 holiday hit had a major leap this week, rising from No. 17 all the way to No. 4. At this point, it’s appears to be only a matter of time before the frosty favorite reclaims the top spot for yet another holiday season.
3. Doja Cat — “Paint The Town Red”
It’s appropriate a song about the color red is thriving on the first December-dated Hot 100, but that’s not new, as it’s been at or near the top of the chart for some time now.
2. Taylor Swift — “Cruel Summer”
After spending five total weeks at No. 1 so far, Swift’s revived 2019 hit is taking a break from the throne as it slides down to No. 2 this week, thanks to a surging newcomer.
1. Jack Harlow — “Lovin On Me”
Last week, Harlow’s “Lovin On Me” was the chart’s biggest debut at No. 2. Now, it has managed to knock Swift off the top spot and rise to No. 1, becoming the rapper’s third career No. 1 single (following “First Class” and the Lil Nas X collab “Industry Baby”).
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
South African singer Tyla is amapiano music’s rising star. Following the release of her viral song “Water” and the subsequent TikTok challenge, Tyla has snatched the public’s attention. In fact, this month, during the 2024 Grammy Awards nomination ceremony, Tyla even earned herself a nod in the Best New Artist category. Shortly after that, to serve as icing on her blissful career cake, she dropped the remix to her smash hit, which featured a guest appearance by Travis Scott.
Although the jury’s still out on what “Water” is actually about, the meaning of her next record is clear-cut. Yesterday (November 25), Tyla took to her official X (formerly Twitter) page to tease her new song.
“Truth or Dare. Pre-save, December 1,” wrote Tyla. In the steamy teaser clip, Tyla appears to be cutting things off with a past lover struggling with her newfound fame.
“Can’t handle what I am now / You’re a fan now / And I’m not what I was / So tell me, are you down now? / ‘Cause I’m up now / So, let’s play truth or dare / Dare you to forget / That you used to treat me just like anyone / Truth or dare,” sings Tyla.
Although there are no aquatic tricks in the video like in the official visual for “Water,” the sound will make a splash once the entire record hits streaming platforms.
Burna Boy, Bad Bunny, and Dua Lipa are part of a wave of international artists who have dominated the American charts. Another is Tyla. Thanks to her viral song, “Water,” the Grammy Award nominee is bringing the flair of Johannesburg, South Africa to every corner of the globe. The song’s fusion of pop, R&B, Afrobeats, and amapiano has made Tyla a new artist to watch.
But what is the song actually about? Let’s just say when Tyla sings the chorus — “Make me sweat, make me hotter / Make me lose my breath, make me water / Make me sweat, make me hotter / Make me lose my breath, make me water” — it’s more than her just being steamy.
Tyla hasn’t said what the record is about, but the lyrics leave little room for interpretation. Fans online have given their attempts at the “Water Challenge,” in which they tried to recreate the drenching dance break in the video. Some offered a theory: It’s about a woman’s desire to reach a squirting orgasm. Unfortunately, Travis Scott didn’t lean into the concept when he appeared on the song’s official remix.
This wouldn’t be the first time a raunchy sex song was cleverly masked by poetic songwriting. Aaliyah’s “Rock The Boat,” Britney Spears’ “If U Seek Amy,” and Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar On Me” are just a few examples.
Read users on X’s (formerly Twitter) reactions to the now viral theory.
everyone finding out what Tyla is singing about reminds me of the summer of 2006 when found out that Cassie’s me & you is about her wanting give head to some guy
With “Water” singer Tyla growing in popularity after being nominated for a Grammy and collaborating with Travis Scott on the remix of the breakout hit, fans are rightfully more curious about the 21-year-old Johannesburg native than ever. However, as discussions on social media have shown, as global music becomes more popular in the United States, music fans will also be experiencing more culture shock as they encounter different perspectives from around the world (like the metric system).
One of the questions that fans have been asking since Tyla’s breakout is whether the South African singer is Black. With bios identifying her heritage as Indian, Irish, Mauritian, and Zulu, there are more than a few fans who have found confusion in the classification, especially as two different viewpoints on race clash. While in the US, the South Africa-born artist would be considered Black, which is broadly a descriptor for people of native African descent, in South Africa, she would be considered “coloured,” a somewhat dated designation reserved for people of mixed ancestry.
Although the term was enforced by a now-defunct colonial government, its impact remains in how people see themselves and classify race in South Africa (a stark reminder that race is just a construct, and a very clunky one at that). While “colored” remains a charged term in the US due to the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow, South Africa is far less removed from its history of apartheid segregation (which only ended 30 years ago). The two nations have largely separate views of race, but the one thing that both should agree on is that all people deserve respect and basic human dignity despite their origins or skin color (or whether a pencil sticks in their hair).
The important thing to focus on is Tyla’s musical success, though. She’s the first South African artist to chart in the US in over 50 years; that’s impressive no matter who someone is.
South African singer Tyla has been one of the biggest breakout artists of 2023. Her song “Water” went from TikTok sensation to Grammy nominations, raising the 21-year-old Johannesburg native’s profile considerably in a relatively short time. Naturally, fans want to know more about her; however, as they’ve learned more, they may have developed some new questions, particularly when they find out she does not identify as “Black.”
No, this isn’t a Mean Girls situation. It’s actually much more nuanced than that — a reminder that the United States isn’t the center of the universe and that race is a constructed concept, and not a very useful or even logical one to begin with.
In Tyla’s native South Africa, race is viewed differently than it is in the States. Whereas in America, race is considered more of a binary (which has become more layered in recent years as groups from Latin America and Asia have grown and indigenous groups have received more recognition), South African views of race are likewise informed by apartheid but also by a more European view.
While indigenous South African groups would be considered Black and descendants of Britsh and Dutch colonists are white, a third group, “Coloured,” refers to South African citizens of mixed ethnicity, often descended from interracial couplings between native Black Africans and white settlers. In addition, people of South Asian descent were grouped into this category until the end of apartheid.
The Population Registration Act of 1950 created these categories based on criteria such as the person’s head hair (as determined by the “pencil test”), skin color, facial features, home language, employment, socioeconomic status, and even their home geography and eating and drinking habits. Eventually, the act was amended to create various subgroups; the act was repealed in 1991 with the end of apartheid, but the thinking that it created remains ingrained in the culture to this day.
So, for Tyla, identifying as “coloured” is both a function of her heritage and of the politics of her homeland. While “colored” was at one point also used in the United States, it referred almost exclusively to people of West African descent, usually the descendants of enslaved peoples. That term was eventually phased out in favor of “African-American” or more broadly, “Black,” but this sort of classification is unique to the United States. As our popular culture becomes more global, though, getting used to learning these other viewpoints will be essential to remaining literate and understanding the art that bonds us all together.
Travis Scott dials in on the remix of Tyla‘s hit single “Water,” showing off his knowledge of country codes (“It’s +27 when I dial in”) and adding his H-Town touch to extend the song’s success. The single otherwise remains unchanged, still featuring that mellow amapiano backing beat sprinkled with hints of Nigerian Afropop topped with Tyla’s silky, seductive vocals.
That’s a good thing, though, because if it ain’t broke, you don’t have to fix it. The OG was good enough to net the South African singer her first-ever Grammy nomination and her US television debut just a few years into her career, and she’s only likely to go up from there.
Travis, likewise, looks to benefit from the collaboration after semi-successfully bouncing back from the 2021 Astroworld Festival disaster. While he said he’s “devastated” by it in his first interview since then, he’s enjoyed a subdued renewal of his former popularity with his new album Utopia reuniting him with the top spot on the Billboard 200 and its accompanying tour receiving a warm enough reception. He has also returned to feature appearances on other artists’ songs; in addition to the “Water” remix, he also offered a verse on Kid Cudi’s new song “At The Party.”
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