Tyla, a rapidly emerging international artist, has listed Afrobeats as one of her musical influences.
In 2023, Tyla achieved international success with her hit single “Water,” which propelled her to mainstream American success.
During a recent interview with RollingStone, Tyla, the South African music sensation, discusses the various genres that have influenced her music, particularly her hit song ‘Water’. Tyla revealed that the core of her hit single is Amapiano, which is the dominant mainstream genre in South Africa. Amapiano has also made its way to Nigeria, where it continues to dominate the Afrobeats soundscape.
Tyla stated that R&B, both male and female R&B and pop stars played a significant role in shaping her music.
Tyla’s latest single ‘Water’ is a fusion of Afrobeats, Amapiano, R&B melodies, and Pop progression. The fast-rising star has acknowledged the influence of Afrobeats in her music, citing Asake’s use of stacked vocals as her favourite element in the genre.
Stacked vocals refer to the use of multiple vocals, like an orchestra, to deliver a part of a song, such as the refrain. This is a prominent element in Afrobeats, popularized by Asake through his electrifying chart-topping releases.
Asake’s music stood out from the rest due to his use of orchestra vocals in several records. This unique style of music contributed to his remarkable success in 2022, where he topped the charts with his hit single ‘Omo Ope’ featuring Olamide. Asake continued to use the orchestra in his subsequent releases, which helped him achieve superstar status.
Tyla’s latest album ‘Truth or Dare’ blends Amapiano, House, and R&B with an Afrobeats-style arrangement.
Both Tyla and Asake have enjoyed hugely successful 2023 with the former’s hit single ‘Water’ peaking at NO. 8 on Billboard Hot 100 while Asake achieved a landmark feat by selling out the 20,000 capacity 02 Arena.
Both the South African rising star and Nigerian superstar are nominated for Best African Music Performance at the 2024 Grammy Awards on February 5.
Story by Obaapa Janee
