South Africa’s Tyla on Sunday won the Best African Music Performance category at the 66^th Grammy Awards.

Tyla, who won with the hit song “Water”, beat a line-up of Nigerian artistes that includes Davido, Burna boy, Asake and Ayra Starr.

Here are 20 things to know about South Africa’s Tyla:

1. Tyla Laura Seethal was born on January 30, 2002 in Johannesburg into a Coloured family of Zulu, Indian, Mauritian and Irish descent.

2. She is 22.

3. She is a South African singer and songwriter.

4. She matriculated from Edenglen High School in 2019 where she was the school’s head of culture.

5. While at school, she had begun posting original songs and covers to her Instagram account, as well as sending them out to a number of figures in the music industry.

6. She was subsequently discovered by her first manager, Garth von Glehn, who organised her first recording sessions.

7. Tyla was studying towards a degree in mining engineering before she decided to commit to her music career full time.

8. In late 2019 after finishing high school, Tyla released her debut single, “Getting Late” featuring production from Kooldrink, which achieved national success.

9. She signed with Epic Records in 2021 after the domestic success of her 2019 debut single, “Getting Late” featuring Kooldrink.

10. Tyla rose to international fame with the release of her 2023 single “Water”, which entered the top ten in sixteen countries including the United Kingdom and United States.

11. “Water” was released in July 2023 as the lead single from her upcoming self-titled debut studio album.

12. “Water” made Tyla the youngest-ever South African and the first South African soloist in 55 years to enter the US Billboard Hot 100, following Hugh Masekela’s “Grazing in the Grass” in 1968.

13. Her self-titled debut album is scheduled for release on 22 March 2024.

14. Tyla is also nominated for a BRIT Award, a Soul Train Music Award, a MOBO Award, and two South African Music Awards.

15. Tyla’s first public performance occurred in 2023 during the Dolce & Gabbana after party at Milan Fashion Week, following the release of her single “Been Thinking”, which earned Tyla her first chart placements of her career, on the Billboard Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and Rhythmic Airplay charts.

16. In May 2023, she released the single “Girl Next Door”, featuring Nigerian singer Ayra Starr.

17. After spawning a viral dance challenge on the social media platform TikTok, the “Water” became a top 10 hit in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia, among several other countries.

18. She performed the song live on The Bianca Show in Sweden and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in the United States.

19. Tyla’s biggest musical influences include Michael Jackson, Aaliyah, Rihanna, Britney Spears, Drake, Cassie and Wizkid.

20. She has stated that her dream is to become the first global pop star from Africa. (The Nation)

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