Tyla Makes History With A Grammy Award Triumph.
Tyla, 22, has been the youngest South African to win a Grammy Award.
Tyla Seethal, born in Edenvale, made history on Sunday in Los Angeles by winning the Grammy for her breakthrough hit Water in the newly established category Best African Music Performance. Fellow South African Musa Keys was also recognized in the category for Unavailable, his collaboration with Nigerian megastar Davido.
Amapiano by Asake and Olamide; City Boys by Burna Boy; and Rush by Ayra Starr rounded out the nominees.
Tyla joins an elite group of South African Grammy winners that includes Zakes Bantwini, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Soweto Gospel Choir, Black Coffee, Nomcebo Zikode, Wouter Kellerman, and Miriam Makeba.
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“What the Hell, what? Oh my word, this is ridiculous. I never imagined I’d win a Grammy at 22. Last year, God decided to change everything in my life. So, thank you very much to God, my team, and my family. “I know my mother is crying somewhere in here [pointing into the audience],” Tyla, who turned 22 approximately a week ago, said during her winning speech.
Thank you to the Recording Academy for this category it is extremely significant. I know I’m forgetting certain stuff, but I won a Grammy, she said, raising her Grammy and performing a joyous dance to wild ovation from the audience.
Tyla said in a backstage interview shortly after her triumph that her father had already planned to put her Grammy in his room. She looked stunning in a custom Versace cut-out mesh dress.
Water has smashed numerous records, including becoming the first South African solo performer to rank on the Billboard Hot 100, thanks in large part to a viral TikTok dance challenge. The song debuted at number 67, peaked at number 7, and is currently at number 11, having stayed on the charts for 17 weeks.
I am a big dreamer. Obviously, I am proud and grateful for all that has happened, but my ultimate objective is to become the world’s largest pop artist. I’d like people to say that pop star was born and bred in South Africa. In her cover story for Sowetan SMag’s Youth issue last June, Tyla stated, I want to be on Rihanna and Drake’s level.
Tyla was booked and busy last year, catching the world by storm with performances on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Jennifer Hudson Show, and ringing in 2024 as the headline artist at New York’s renowned Times Square ball drop.
She is showing no signs of slowing down and will appear at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival this April. Water has also been nominated for Best International Song at the 44th annual Brit Awards, which take place in London next month.
Tyla’s hit is up against tracks from Billie Eilish, Doja Cat, Miley Cyrus, Olivia Rodrigo, SZA, Rema, and others. She is also a nominee for the Mobo Awards’ Best African Music Act.
The host of the night Trevor Noah, who hosted for the third week in a row, lost out to fellow comic Dave Chappelle for Best Comedy Album. This was his second Grammy nomination, following a nod in the same category in 2020.
Miley Cyrus, Victoria Monet, boygenius, Karol G, Lil Durk, Fred Again, and Coco Jones were the other first-time Grammy winners who joined Tyla.
It’s very rewarding to be one of the artists who keep putting R&B on the map. I hope to make my generation feel like R&B was back in the day, Jones told Sowetan after collecting five nominations in December.
Other winners included Taylor Swift, SZA, Killer Mike, and Paramore. Performers included Dua Lipa, Burna Boy, Brandy, Billy Joel, Joni Mitchell, and others.
Other Mzansi stars in attendance included Boity Thulo, Anele Mdoda, Kefilwe Mabote, Bantwini, and Sizwe Dhlomo.
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