Billboard cover star Tyla talks about the creation of her viral hit 'Water', the journey to creating her recently released debut album 'Tyla', the various collaborations with Becky G, Tems, Gunna and Skillibeng, how her sound has evolved from R&B and pop to more Ampiano-centric, how it feels to be the first artist to win a Grammy in the new African Music Performance category, how the South African dance style Bacardi inspired the viral “Water” dance ”, canceling their long-awaited Coachella performance and tour due to injuries and more.
Tyla
People will see me everywhere. So if you don't like me, I'm sorry.
Tyla
During the making of “Water,” I was finishing the album. And I was looking for sounds that I was missing. And I really felt like I was missing an explosive, vibrant summer song. So I ended up working with these people we call the Fantastic Four, which is Ari, Corey, Mocha and Sammy Soso, and we literally came up with the exact song I had envisioned. And we recorded it in a bedroom, literally. And I just remember repeating it and repeating it and playing it for whoever would listen to it and the people I played it for loved it and had a really good feeling that I started playing it before it came out. And the response was so good that I thought, Wait, this could be the song. But obviously the challenge and everything took a like to the wall.
Watch the full video above!
thanks to our partners at www.billboard.com