Tyla is 24 years old. Born Tyla Laura Seethal on January 30, 2002, in Edenvale, South Africa, she is the South African singer who took amapiano — a dance-music sound born in Johannesburg’s townships — to the top of the world’s charts. Her 2023 single “Water” made her the first South African solo artist to enter the Billboard Hot 100 in 55 years, and she has since won two Grammy Awards, becoming the first artist ever to win Best African Music Performance twice. No reliable published estimate of her net worth exists, so this profile does not state one.
Tyla Quick Facts
| Full Name | Tyla Laura Seethal |
| Date of Birth | January 30, 2002 |
| Age | 24 |
| Birthplace | Edenvale, Gauteng, South Africa |
| Occupation | Singer, songwriter |
| Known For | “Water”, “Push 2 Start”, “Chanel” |
Who Is Tyla?
Tyla is a South African singer and songwriter from Johannesburg, known for blending amapiano with pop and R&B in a sound she and her fans call “popiano”. Her breakthrough came in 2023 with “Water”, a song built around a log-drum bassline that went viral on TikTok and reached the top ten in the United States and the United Kingdom. At the 2024 Grammy Awards she won the first-ever Best African Music Performance award for the song, becoming the youngest African artist ever to win a Grammy.
She was born in Edenvale, in Gauteng province, and grew up in Johannesburg as the third of five children. She started sharing songs and covers on Instagram while still at school, and by her final year she was spending every weekend in a recording studio. She briefly studied mining engineering at university before her parents agreed to let her take a year off to pursue music — a year that turned into a career. Rihanna is her biggest influence; she has described the Barbadian star as a blueprint for the kind of artist she wants to be.
Tyla’s Early Life & Background
Tyla Laura Seethal was born on January 30, 2002, in Edenvale, South Africa, to Sharleen and Sherwin Seethal, and grew up in Johannesburg. She is the third of five children — she has two elder half-sisters, Alaina and Whitney, a younger brother, Tyrese, and a younger sister, Sydney, who works as a model and content creator. Her heritage is mixed: she is Coloured, with Zulu, Indian, Irish and Mauritian ancestry. At school she was Head of Culture in her final year at Edenglen High School, graduating in 2019.
She began pursuing music seriously in her final year of school, posting songs and covers on Instagram until she was discovered by her first manager. She briefly studied mining engineering at university, and her parents agreed to let her take a year off to focus on music. That same year, 2021, she signed with Epic Records through a joint venture with the South African label Fax Records.
Tyla’s Career
Tyla self-released her debut single, “Getting Late”, featuring Kooldrink, in late 2019; it became a national hit in South Africa, and its music video was nominated for Best Music Video of the Year at the 2022 South African Music Awards. After signing with Epic in May 2021 she released “Overdue” and “To Last”, and in 2023 she made her first public performance at a Dolce & Gabbana afterparty during Milan Fashion Week and joined Chris Brown as the opening act on his Under the Influence Tour. Her single “Been Thinking” gave her her first chart placements, and “Girl Next Door”, featuring Nigerian singer Ayra Starr, followed in May 2023.
“Water” arrived in July 2023 and changed everything. A TikTok dance challenge carried the song around the world, and it reached the top ten in South Africa, the United States and the United Kingdom. It made Tyla the first South African solo artist to enter the Billboard Hot 100 in 55 years — since Hugh Masekela’s “Grazing in the Grass” in 1968 — and the youngest ever to do so. She performed the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and in February 2024 she won the inaugural Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance, becoming the youngest African artist in history to win a Grammy. Her self-titled debut album, Tyla, followed in March 2024 and reached the top 25 in the United States, the United Kingdom and several other countries. That year she also won three MTV Europe Music Awards and performed at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.
In 2025 she released the EP WWP and launched the We Wanna Party Tour, hosted the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards and was featured on “Nice Guy” from Cardi B‘s album Am I the Drama?. She won Best Afrobeats at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards for “Push 2 Start”, and in October 2025 she released “Chanel”, which reached No. 11 on the Billboard Global 200 — her highest charting entry since “Water”. At the 2026 Grammy Awards she won Best African Music Performance again for “Push 2 Start”, becoming the first artist to win the category twice, and used the moment to announce her second album, A*Pop, released in July 2026. The album’s launch included a performance of “Game Time” with Future at the opening ceremony of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where she also sang the South African national anthem, and a halftime performance at the WNBA All-Star Game.
Facts About Tyla
- She is the youngest African artist ever to win a Grammy Award, and the first artist to win Best African Music Performance twice.
- “Water” made her the first South African solo artist to enter the Billboard Hot 100 in 55 years.
- Her sound is a fusion of pop and amapiano, a South African dance-music style built around log drums — she has been called the “Queen of Popiano”.
- She briefly studied mining engineering at university before her parents let her take a year off to pursue music.
- Her biggest influences are Michael Jackson, Rihanna, Aaliyah and Britney Spears, and she has called Rihanna a blueprint for her own career.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Tyla?
Tyla is 24 years old. She was born on January 30, 2002, in Edenvale, South Africa.
What is Tyla’s real name?
Tyla’s real name is Tyla Laura Seethal.
What is Tyla’s net worth?
There is no reliable published estimate of Tyla’s net worth. Celebrity Net Worth does not publish a figure for her, so this profile does not state one.
What is Tyla best known for?
Tyla is best known for her 2023 breakthrough single “Water”, which won the first Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance, and for her amapiano-pop sound, which she calls “popiano”.
How many Grammys has Tyla won?
Tyla has won two Grammy Awards, both for Best African Music Performance: “Water” in 2024 and “Push 2 Start” in 2026. She is the first artist to win the category twice.
How old is Tyla?
Tyla is 24 years old. She was born on January 30, 2002, in Edenvale, South Africa.
What is Tyla’s real name?
Tyla’s real name is Tyla Laura Seethal.
What is Tyla’s net worth?
There is no reliable published estimate of Tyla’s net worth. Celebrity Net Worth does not publish a figure for her, so this profile does not state one.
What is Tyla best known for?
Tyla is best known for her 2023 breakthrough single “Water”, which won the first Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance, and for her amapiano-pop sound, which she calls “popiano”.
How many Grammys has Tyla won?
Tyla has won two Grammy Awards, both for Best African Music Performance: “Water” in 2024 and “Push 2 Start” in 2026. She is the first artist to win the category twice.
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