Congratulations are in order for South African hitmaker Tyla, whose viral jam “Water” became RIAA-certified platinum on Jan. 16.
The 21-year-old had the internet in a chokehold with her “Water” single, invoking millions of people around the globe to partake in the TikTok dance challenge.
Tyla ended 2023 by announcing her first-ever tour, hitting North America and Europe.
But now she broke into the new year, becoming RIAA platinum. Tyla also succeeded in other countries, receiving three platinum certifications in South Africa and Brazil. More platinum certifications came from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland. Gold certifications for “Water” came from the UK, France, Portugal, Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden, Greece, Turkey, and Belgium. The 21-year-old is beloved around the globe!
Since dropping “Water” on July 28, 2023, the platinum hit record has been an uphill climb for the pop star, who peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, rendering her the highest charting African female solo artist in Hot 100 history.
In addition to music chart success, Tyla has had high-profile performances since rising to fame with “Water.” The Epic Records signee’s national TV debut came in October 2023 when she performed her hit on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
She ate with her performance of “Truth or Dare” (Dec. 1, 2023), blending in “Water” on The Voice finale.
At the cusp of 2023 ending, Tyla’s career took a right turn when she performed the hit on ABC’s Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.
What punctuated her superstar status was when former President Barack Obama released his favorite music of 2023, “Water” by Tyla being on the list.
Believe it or not, Tyla is just getting started. The South African star is gearing up to drop her self-titled debut album, which will feature her global hit “Water” and focus tracks “On & On” and “Truth Or Dare.”
The popiano (a blend of amapiano and pop) sensation captivated fans with her studio performance on the platform Colors, giving a taste of another single– “On & On.”
In an interview with Apple Music’s New Music Daily Radio With Zane Low, Tyla got candid about how her newfound fame thanks to “Water” was exciting but drove her to navigate the world differently.
“‘Water’ literally changed my whole life completely. It’s so crazy how a song can change your life like this. It’s beautiful,” she said. “It’s so exciting. I’m so happy that people are loving the sound coming from home. So yeah, I’m excited to see where it goes from here.”
Tyla later expressed, “A lot of the time, I’ll just be doing what I usually do, and then my team has to remind me, ‘You can’t do that anymore.’ So, I’m kind of adjusting to it.”
