For many years, AfroPop music has had a massive influence on Pop and Hip Hop music in the Western World. Artists like Drake, Pharrell, and so many others have been using elements of Afrobeat, Amapiano, and African Pop music for years; these kinds of music helped shape so much of the music of the mid-to-late 2010s in America and Europe. Until recently, however, actual African artists who made this kind of music never really got the shine they deserved. After so many years of serving as a basis for artists around the world, Burna Boy, Rema, and Fireboy DML have broken through into the mainstream, helping give AfroPop music the shine that it deserves. Over the last year or so, one African artist that has taken the world by storm is Tyla. If you were online in any major capacity in 2023, I am almost certain you have come across Tyla and her music at some point. Her song ‘Water’ was one of the biggest viral hits of 2023, becoming a worldwide phenomenon and captivating listeners across the world. It is not difficult to envision why this song became so popular, as everything about this track is infectious. From the song’s addicting melody and tempo to its super pretty vocals, pretty much everything about the track ‘Water’ draws in the listener. Apart from this track, however, there is not a ton to go off of with Tyla. Before ‘Water’ came out, Tyla had actually only released a handful of singles; a couple of the singles got semi-big in South Africa, which is what got the attention of Epic Records and catapulted her career. Tyla is ready to capitalize on her viral success, as she recently just released her debut album TYLA. This album has the potential as one to watch in Pop music, as there are not many popular artists who are doing it like her. With that being said, here is how I feel about Tyla’s debut album, TYLA. Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite songs are from this record, and also comment on how you feel about it as a whole. 

Tyla gets TYLA going with a brief introduction track that features Kelvin Momo which is literally titled ‘Intro.’ In this brief opener, Tyla basically sets the stage for the next track. She hums and sings over a faded and roughly mixed drum pattern. The tone she sings in is pretty much the same as the next track, which is why it literally just does feel like the introduction section of the next song. ‘Safer’ has a very melancholy and almost apprehensive tone. The melody is really provided as much or more by Tyla’s vocals as it is by any synths or instruments. Some very faint synths and backing vocals help provide the vocals for this track, but for the most part, the melody for ‘Safer’ actually comes from Tyla. There is something almost anxious about this melody; it feels like running away from someone, which fits into the lyrical theme of the song. The beat for ‘Safer’ is very intricate and fast-paced. Like the melody, this beat has an anxious feeling that feels like something negative could be on the horizon. Tyla’s vocals on ‘Safer’ are excellent. Her tone is so clear and beautiful, and the backing vocals that come in and out give the song an extra level of power. On ‘Safer,’ Tyla is singing about needing to stay away from someone toxic, as much as they may attract her. Following Safer we get the aforementioned single ‘Water.’ This song has a way brighter and sweeter tone and sound than the song that precedes it; in fact, the feeling this song provides is almost opposite of the one on ‘Safer.’ ‘Water’ has a sunny and pleasant synth-driven melody that is very soothing and fun to listen to. This melody is put on top of a light yet upbeat drum pattern that has a calming element to it but also makes me want to dance when I hear it. As nice as the instrumental for this track is, the thing that is most captivating about ‘Water’ is Tyla’s vocals. Her tone on this song is so saccharine and delightful; Tyla’s vocals on this track are the kind that can make anyone feel good when they listen to this song. On ‘Water,’ Tyla is singing about spending the night dancing and making love with someone she has become infatuated with. ‘Truth or Dare’ has a sound that is very similar to the one on ‘Water.’ Frankly, this song just feels like a slightly darker and more serious version of ‘Water.’ The melody for ‘Truth or Dare’ is very similar to ‘Water,’ albeit it is a bit funkier and more gloomy. Like ‘Water,’ this song is driven by atmospheric synths and a saturated keyboard melody. There is a trippy guitar melody that comes in and out on ‘Truth or Dare,’ which contributes to its more intricate and shady elements. The beat for Truth or Dare’ is almost the same as the one on ‘Water.’ So much so, that it makes these songs flow together perfectly and almost feel like one very long song. Once again, Tyla’s vocals on ‘Truth or Dare’ are exquisite. Her tone and pitch are so comforting and make this song super agreeable. On ‘Truth or Dare,’ Tyla calls out a former partner for lying to her and stating that she has always known when they are trying to manipulate her and when they have been unfaithful.

‘No.1’ has a similar sonic feeling to the last two tracks, albeit with a much more low-key melody. Whereas ‘Water’ and ‘Truth or Dare’ have more full and wide-ranging melodies that almost feel like a big wave, this melody is a lot more delicate and feels more like calm seas. This melody is warm yet downtrodden at the same time. It has a tone that reminds me of a sunset, but there is something about it that gives a cloudy feeling as well. This melody is driven by a slow guitar riff that is complemented by synths that come in and out with various levels of saturation. Tyla’s vocals on ‘No.1’ are solid, but I have to say that Tems steals the show. I really love how her deep and sultry tone sits on this melody. It gives texture to the song and contrasts the softer vocals from Tyla so nicely. Tems makes this song a major stand out for me. On ‘No.1,’ Tyla and Tems are singing about putting themselves first and not letting their partner dictate how they feel. ‘Breathe Me’ has a more celestial feeling than the last two songs. The melody for ‘Breathe Me’ is so heavenly and floaty. It is also a bit more quirky and strange than anything that we have heard yet so far on TYLA. The melody for ‘Breathe Me’ almost sounds like it is being provided by a mandolin. The tone of this melody sort of makes it feel Southeast Asian, which makes it stand out. This melody is also more intricate than anything before it The melody is riddled with sound effects that give a futuristic element that I enjoy a bunch. ‘Breathe Me’ does have the same kind of Amapiano tempo as the first several songs, but it is a bit more deliberate and slow than the beats we heard on those tracks. Whereas those songs definitely make me want to dance, ‘Breathe Me’ is a bit more relaxing. Tyla’s vocals on ‘Breath Me’ are not the most engaging, but that is okay because they fit the passive feeling of the instrumental very nicely. In ‘Breathe Me,’ Tyla is singing about making love to her partner through a variety of metaphors. ‘Butterflies’ has a completely different sound than anything that precedes it. To be honest, I do not know how to feel about this one. I appreciate that it is a switch-up and shows a different side to Tyla, but I also feel like it sounds sort of out of place. That said, ‘Butterflies’ is still a beautiful, atmospheric R&B song that somehow feels old and new at the same time. The instrumental for this song is timeless. It has a tone and melody that is reminiscent of the Neo-Soul that was big in the 1990s, but it is full of sound effects that make it ultramodern. It also has no traditional beat(throughout the track, I kept expecting a Trap beat to come in but it never did); this lack of beat makes the song stand out in a major way and makes the song very interesting. Tyla’s vocals on ‘Butterflies’ are so dainty and lovely. Tyla’s vocal performance on ‘Butterflies’ makes the song feel all-encompassing and so engaging. On ‘Butterflies,’ Tyla is singing about falling in love with someone new and not knowing what to think of this new infatuation. ‘On and On’ is the second song in a row with a slightly different sound and style than the first six songs of the record. This track feels a lot more American than anything on the record so far. ‘On and On’ feels like Tyla’s attempt to lean into Western R&B Trap music while still keeping an AfroPop twist. The melody for this song is so balmy and pleasant. The twinkling synths that drive this melody have a loving element to them that just feels like I am receiving a big hug when I hear this track. ‘On and On’ has a tone that will put anyone in a good mood when they hear it. As I mentioned, the drums for ‘On and On’ feel like a fusion between Afro-Pop and Pop-Trap. The way the drum pattern is staggered on this track makes it pop and gives it such a fresh feeling. Tyla’s vocals in ‘On and On’ are okay, but they are nothing to write home about. I would say the instrumental for this track is more interesting and draws me in a lot more than the vocals do. In ‘On and On,’ Tyla is singing about making love all night long with her new partner. ‘Jump,’ which features Gunna(I know, right?) and Skillibeng, is quickly emerging as the most polarizing song from this record. Some people absolutely love it, and others do not like this change in tone and feeling from Tyla at all. I personally love this track; it is among my favorite songs from 2024 so far. ‘Jump’ is easily the darkest and dirtiest song of the record to this point. Everything on this record so far has been so clean and cute; this one is more harsh and dirty. The melody for ‘Jump’ is very hot and greasy, driven by synths with varying levels of distortion. The beat for ‘Jump’ hits a lot harder than anything on the album before it. The bass is boosted on this track in a big manner; this makes this sludgy AfroPop beat so fun and interesting; this is the kind of track that makes me want to dance and party when I listen to it. All of the vocal performances on ‘Jump’ are great. Tyla, Gunna, and Skillibeng all contribute something awesome to this track; in their own way, each artist on this track helps it pop so much. On ‘Jump,’ Tyla, Gunna, and Skillibeng are singing about how proud they are to be themselves; this is a song about self-love and embracing who you are. 

‘Art’ brings back the traditional AfroPop/Amapiano music that we were getting at the beginning of this record. To be blunt, ‘Art’ is a song that reminds me a ton of ‘Water.’ Pretty much everything about this one is similar to ‘Water’ to me. From the sunny and bubbly tone of the melody to the soothing yet fast-paced beat, ‘Art’ has a sound that is just so much like that track. This is not necessarily a bad thing. ‘Water’ was one of the biggest songs of 2023, so a song that is pretty similar to it will never be a bad thing. One way that this song does differentiate from ‘Water’ is through the vocals. Specifically, the flow that Tyla sings with in ‘Art’ makes it stick out a bit. I really enjoy how her off-kilter sits on this instrumental, as it makes the track all the more engaging. On ‘Art,’ Tyla is singing about how she can be that special person for her partner and how she wants them to be infatuated with her. ‘On My Body,’ which features Becky G, is my prediction for a track that will be a major sleeper hit from this record. It is not getting the kind of love that it should now, but I do think that it eventually will. ‘On My Body’ feels like a fusion of Latin Pop music and Amapiano. The beat feels like a direct fusion of Latin Pop or even Reggaeton and AfroPop. It is really interesting and cool how the tempo of this beat sits so cleanly in between those two genres. The melody for this track feels like it could fit on both of those kinds of music as well. This balmy melody sounds like it is being provided by Steel Drums, which are obviously a staple in both Latin and African music. Tyla’s vocals in ‘On My Body’ are solid, but I feel like Becky G takes the song over the top. I love how her slighter deeper vocals sit on this instrumental, and the way she goes back and forth between English and Spanish gives the song passion and life. In ‘On My Body,’ Tyla and Becky G are singing about dancing the night away with their new partner and trying to seduce a new significant other. After 12 songs, I feel like we sort of hit the first dud with the track ‘Priorities.’ Unfortunately, this one just does not do it for me. Hey, one clunker 13 songs into an album is not bad; in fact, it shows incredible consistency. ‘Priorities’ is not necessarily a bad song; I can see how it can be appealing to some people, and it is alright for what it is. The guitar-driven melody for this track really makes me think of Christian Rock music. I can not get that idea out of my head when I listen to this one, which drags it down for me. The beat on ‘Priorities’ is nothing special in my opinion as well. Tyla’s vocals on ‘Priorities’ are solid, but they do not do anything to increase the appeal of this one for me. On ‘Priorities,’ Tyla is singing about putting herself first and not letting how someone else thinks of her affect her emotions. We have reached the unofficial end of this record with the song ‘To Last.’ Although there is technically one song after this, I consider ‘To Last’ to be the closing track, as the last song is just a remix of a previous release. Tyla saved the quirkiest and most outside-the-box track for last with this one. ‘To Last’ is one of the most unique songs on this record in many ways. For one, the very low-key melody is faint and complex at the same time. The variety of synths that drive this melody make the song so dynamic. ‘To Last’ feels classic and futuristic, as well as happy and sad, at the same time. This variance in tone for ‘To Last’ makes it riveting. ‘To Last’ also has a beat that is way different than anything else on the record. ‘To Last’ feels like a fusion of Afro-Pop and House music. The tone of the drums is similar to AfroPop, but the tempo of those drums have a cool downtempo House and Trance music element to them. Tyla’s vocals on this track are not the most engaging, but that is okay. I like how her delicate vocals sit on this instrumental, as it makes ‘To Last’ mesmerizing. On ‘To Last,’ Tyla is singing about the end of a tumultuous relationship where she feels her partner did not put in the work to make their relationship work. As I mentioned, the official closing track of this record is a remix to a previous song. That track is ‘Water,’ and the remix comes from Travis Scott. As great as the original track is, I actually enjoy this remix more. I love how Travis Scott’s vocals contrast with Tyla, as it gives the track texture and makes it even more fun to listen to. Usually, I am not that into the closing track of a record just being a remix of a song that was already on the record, but in the case of this ‘Water’ remix, Tyla and Travis Scott nailed it.

Going into reviewing this record, I did not know how I was going to feel. Don’t get me wrong, I love AfroPop music; I am always telling people to look up artists like Burna Boy, Tems, and Rema. But in my past experience of trying to review AfroPop, it has been kind of difficult. This is because the nature of this music is to be so smooth and rhythmic in a way where it is tough to find things to say about it. I can enjoy a project but not have the words to express this because every track kind of blends into the next one in a way that makes it tough to differentiate them. As you can see, this was not the case at all with Tyla’s TYLA. Although this does feel like a traditional Afro-Pop album for the most part, there is still a ton of variance in the sound of TYLA. Tyla definitely shows she is not a one-trick pony on this record, and she proves she is extremely talented and can be as eclectic as she wants to be. Overall, TYLA is an excellent debut record with so much to love. There are a ton of tracks from this record that I know I will be coming back to, and that alone makes this album a highlight from 2024 for me. Tyla proves she is a global superstar with so much to offer on TYLA, and it makes me very excited to watch her continue to grow and thrive.

BEST TRACKS – ‘WATER,’ ‘TRUTH OR DARE,’ ‘NO. 1’ FEAT. TEMS, ‘JUMP’ FEAT. SKILLIBENG AND GUNNA, ‘ART,’ ‘ON MY BODY’ FEAT. BECKY G, ‘TO LAST’

8.06/10