SA: Tyla is first African solo artist to reach 1 billion Spotify streams

20 Feb 2025 - 11:03

Published under the Creative Commons Licence

South African singer and songwriter, Tyla, has made history by surpassing one billion streams on Spotify with her global hit ‘Water’, becoming the first African solo artist to achieve this milestone.

Tyla.

The achievement cements her status as a rising global star and highlights the increasing international recognition of African music.

Tyla now joins an exclusive group of African artists who have crossed the billion-stream mark on Spotify. Nigerian stars Wizkid, Rema, and Tems previously reached this milestone, though their success came through collaborations: Wizkid on Drake’s ‘One Dance’, Rema with Selena Gomez on ‘Calm Down’, and Tems on Future’s ‘Wait For U’, which also featured Drake.

Originally released on 28 July 2023, ‘Water’ quickly gained traction, especially after Tyla’s performance at the Giants of Africa Festival in Kigali, Rwanda, where a viral dance challenge emerged. The track’s unique fusion of amapiano and R&B resonated with audiences worldwide, propelling it up the charts and ultimately earning Tyla her first Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance at the 66th Grammy Awards in February 2024.

“We are incredibly proud of Tyla’s historic achievement. This milestone is a testament to her talent, hard work, and the power of music to transcend borders,” Spotify head of music in Sub-Saharan Africa Phiona Okumu said. “Tyla’s success is an inspiration to aspiring artists across Africa and the world, and we are honoured to have played a part in her journey.”

The road to a billion streams was marked by several key milestones. Tyla first previewed ‘Water’ at Spotify’s Greasy Tunes showcase in Johannesburg in July 2023 as part of RADAR Africa, a programme designed to support emerging African artists. The song’s viral success on TikTok and its rapid rise in streaming numbers led to major achievements, including surpassing one million daily streams on Spotify in September 2023 and crossing the 100 million-stream mark just a month later in October 2023. By February 2024, Tyla made history at the Grammy Awards, and just over a year later, on 19 February 2025, ‘Water’ reached the one billion-stream milestone.

Tyla’s success underscores the growing global influence of African music, which has been further amplified by Spotify’s RADAR Africa and EQUAL Africa programmes. These initiatives provide emerging African artists with global exposure and industry support, helping talents like Tyla reach international audiences.