This year has been nothing short of a triumph for South African musician Tyla. The Grammy-award-winning artist has conquered the globe, rising to international fame with her chart-topping hit “Water” and her debut album Tyla. Both cemented her status as one of the brightest stars in the music industry today.
As 2024 winds down, Tyla is back in her home country of South Africa after a whirlwind year. She spent some quality time in Johannesburg, even partying with music mogul DJ Maphorisa in the vibrant streets of Soweto. Now, the multi-award-winning singer is in Lagos, Nigeria, soaking in the city’s electric atmosphere.
A video that quickly went viral on social media shows Tyla enjoying a night out in Lagos with fellow African superstars Tems and Ayra Starr. The video stirred up quite a buzz due to the ongoing rivalry between Nigerian and South African music scenes.
For months, some Nigerians on social media have been drawing comparisons between Tyla and Ayra Starr, with a few accusing Tyla of “copying” Starr’s style. The rivalry gained traction on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), where one user commented, “South Africans mad Nigerians weren’t singing along to Tyla last night. Lmao, she’s not top 20 in Nigeria.”
But let’s be real: Tyla and Ayra are both incredibly talented women, each carving out their own space in the global music scene. Pitting them against each other does a disservice to their individual success. One fan put it perfectly, saying, “It’s so refreshing to see Tyla, Ayra, and Tems hanging out together, collaborating, and being friends despite the internet’s obsession with trying to pit them against each other.”
The video also sparked mixed reactions from Tyla’s fans. Some defended her, saying she didn’t deserve to give her all to a crowd that wasn’t vibing with her energy. One fan, @Push2Star, vented, “I feel like Tyla gave Nigeria exactly the energy they gave her! Why would she break herself for a dead crowd? Nigeria is so gay, they only go gaga for male artists! They had a dude give Gunna a bouquet of flowers during his arrival and gave Tyla nothing! I mean, that sums it up!”
Others were equally frustrated by the continued attempts to “humble” Tyla, despite her clear success. “Nigerian people’s commitment to humbling Tyla is very annoying. She’s at a club vibing with their local faves and has even collaborated with some of them, but this nonsense agenda must agend regardless,” said @candysithole_.
Main Image: Instagram via Amplify Africa
