Tyla opens up about sudden stardom after 'Water' became worldwide hit

Tyla has spoken about the dramatic changes in her life following the global success of her breakout hit Water, saying the song completely reshaped her world and career.

The 24-year-old South African pop star released the chart-topping single in 2024, and in a recent interview with E! News, she described the experience as overwhelming but transformative.

“That was insane. My life literally flipped on its head,” Tyla said. “It was a lot of adjusting, you know? Because where I'm from in South Africa is very different to everything over here, so that moment changed my whole life, honestly.”

Since her rapid rise, Tyla said she has learned to navigate fame by trusting her instincts and focusing on what feels authentic to her creatively.

“I just went with what feels good,” she explained. “And now I feel like I’m at a place where I’m really just having the most fun.”

The singer has also expressed pride in helping bring amapiano, a genre rooted in South African music culture, to a global audience. 

She described her success as something that once felt out of reach for many artists from her home country.

“Coming from literally the bottom of Africa and my music playing all over the world, it’s like a dream for a lot of people,” she said. “So, I’m just blessed.”

Despite her achievements, Tyla has previously been candid about the pressures that came with sudden fame. 

In earlier remarks at a London Q&A event, she admitted she initially felt overwhelmed by expectations after Water became a worldwide hit.

“For a while, especially last year, I felt so trapped,” she said. “Like, ‘Oh my word, I blew up and I just have to have everything right and everything has to be perfect now because the world is looking.’ It was kind of stressful for me.”

However, Tyla said she has since developed a stronger sense of confidence, crediting self-belief for helping her navigate the music industry.

“I just always knew I had something in me,” she said. “I don’t let anybody or anything limit me or put me in a box.”

While some have described her confidence as “arrogance,” the singer pushed back on that characterization, saying belief in oneself is essential for success in music.

“If you’re not that proud and you don’t believe in your stuff as strongly as you should, why would someone else?” she said.