Tyla on A*POP, global stardom and redefining the African pop star

Tyla also opens up about sibling rivalries, secret lockdown parties, life at 24, and the strong sense of self that has helped her navigate both the challenges and opportunities that have come with her rapid rise to global prominence.

Ebro Darden: Let’s talk about songwriting and how that has matured for you

Tyla: Well, for this specific album I worked with a lot of writers and creatives that were good friends of mine that just know me and understand me because I just don’t like making music with people that I don’t like and that I don't like vibe with.

Your expectations vs. the reality of your journey to fame

Honestly, I could have never predicted any of this. Like everything from the good times to the bad times, like it was really a story. Like I feel like I could write a movie about this journey, honestly. Um, so much has happened. Like I remember just being in South Africa, simple life, you know, no drama, nothing. Like just me, my siblings, my family and just making videos and singing and my life completely changing to now being in front of the world, opinions, like um, I just had to learn a lot, honestly.

And now I feel like I love the fact that I experienced what I did because I really feel like a strong woman, you know, internally. Just yeah, just ready, really just ready. When I came in I feel like I was very green and you know, I had a very innocent idea of the world and the industry. I thought it's all like rainbows and “Yay, I get to sing!” and it is that, but it's also um, you have to be strong-minded, you know, in order to stay yourself in all of this. So yeah, right now I'm as the most confident I've ever been, I'm strong, I'm excited, I'm at peace, you know. So yeah.

How are you navigating your identity on a global stage?

I mean initially it was very difficult because prior to the Breakfast Club I did answer that question and already I started getting backlash and I was like “Whoa, I don't know what else to say about it, you know?” because I never had to explain myself. You know, I was just always myself and living, you know, 24 years of my life. All I knew was that I'm coloured and that's what I was told, it's what like I had to tick on boxes back home.

And when I was able to travel the world and learn more about the world, I then learned just how big the world is, you know? And how different each country is, how different context is. So, when I learned about what it means here, I was like “Whoa, like this is gonna be a difficult conversation to have.” Because in South Africa we also have a derogatory term, so I would like... I feel like if someone were to come to our country and say they were that, I get why it would be, you know, very triggering.

So, I think it was a very important thing for me to go through and learn and for the conversations to just open up, you know? And I just hope whoever sees this can make their videos on TikTok and like maybe we can come to some sort of understanding, but it's just such a huge conversation to have, you know?

Inspiration for her new album A*POP

A*POP, African Pop. You know, A*POP is literally me trying to extend the idea of what an African pop star looks like, what an African pop star sounds like, you know. I think that um, sometimes, sometimes you like when you’re from somewhere you're expected to look away or sound a way in order to be like I’ve seen things where they're like, “Oh, Tyla’s not African enough,” and I’m like, what is African enough? You know? Like, I think it’s a very frozen... like, it just feels like we’ve frozen in time with that type of ideology. But I really feel like now that I'm on my second album, I’m really excited to show how just diverse I am and how I grew up around so many different influences and I really want to show that and share that. And with A*POP, it's really just that, like, I bring the A to pop.

Accusations that she is a “mean girl”

Hmm, maybe I am. No, I’m joking, I’m joking, I’m joking. I mean, I don’t know, you know? I don’t know if I’m mean. I like to think that I’m kind, you know? I really am opinionated and blunt. Like, where I’m from, like the way we are, we just talk. Like, things aren’t that serious. We don’t know how to now watch your words, like, “This is not the time, this is not the place.” Like, we’re not that dramatic. We’re human, guys, relax. Like, we can all talk. You know, so I feel like I’m just... I try to be honest about how I feel about things, you know? Um, yeah, but it's hard, you know? As a pop star you got to be good girl. You know?

Is that annoying to always kind of have to like worry about people’s perception? Or have you...

I mean, I don't. But my managers, they always... they always try to like shackle me. They're like, “Tyla, put your phone down. Stop making videos, stop talking.” And I should probably listen to them because I get into a lot of... But I don't know, like, I just think it’s more interesting, you know? I’m still... I still want to be a 24-year-old girl, you know? I don’t want being a pop star to stop my life and make me feel like now I'm in jail and I have to let like things slide and all those things.