Tyla Expands Global Pop Footprint with Second Album A*POP

Grammy-winning South African singer Tyla expands her global pop footprint with her second album, A*POP, blending amapiano rhythms, deep house roots, and transatlantic collaborations. Released following her breakout smash “Water,” the new record explores fresh sonic directions while cementing her status as an international music star.

When Tyla stepped onto the music scene with her 2023 breakthrough smash Water, the global reception threatened to pin her down within the strict confines of amapiano, or what listeners often categorized as popiano. Yet the South African artist has steadily countered that pigeonholing by weaving a trans-Atlantic sonic map that connects her Johannesburg origins to Caribbean dancehall cuts and bare-bones pop production. That artistic expansion reaches a new milestone with her second full-length release, A*POP.

Global Ambitions and Transatlantic Collaborations on A*POP

The creation of A*POP reflects a deliberate push beyond familiar boundaries. As OkayAfrica reported in an interview with the artist, Tyla spent time recording across London, New York, Los Angeles, and Paris while maintaining her deep connection to South African culture. I’ve definitely expanded through the making of this album, she explained, noting a desire to play with her voice and experiment with new writers and producers. Among those collaborators are high-profile songwriters like Bibi Bourelly and P2J, who have previously worked with artists including Rihanna, Beyoncé, and Doja Cat.

At the same time, the album leans heavily into Tyla’s South African heritage. On the track Fairytale, she interpolates a tender song by Johannesburg deep house and soul OGs Liquideep, shifting her breathy vocals into minimalist guitar and bass arrangements. South African singer-songwriters MaWhoo and Babalwa M also join her for Crazy of Me and I Don’t Care, two tracks featuring prominent Zulu-language lyrics.

International features bridge other markets, notably Swedish pop star Zara Larsson on She Did It Again. According to Pitchfork’s review of the album, the collaboration pairs two artists navigating the upper tiers of modern pop, supported by production choices that include Ian Kirkpatrick, the producer behind Dua Lipa’s New Rules.

The Lover Girl Motif and Emotional Stakes

The emotional core of A*POP is anchored by the recurring persona of the lover girl, navigating desire, vulnerability, and confidence on her own terms. The album’s opening track, Is It Love, sets those stakes immediately. OkayAfrica noted that the song features the line is it love if you don’t cry? alongside a vocal performance where the notes she hits and sustains at the 2:22 mark will leave hairs standing and emotions heightened.

Tyla Expands Global Pop Footprint with Second Album A*POP — Photo: Pitchfork

That emotional complexity carries through other tracks, including Right Now, which balances a friends-with-benefits narrative with whispered close harmonies. Tyla described the writing process for the track as a collaborative effort where everyone brought something unique to a fun, breezy song about desire negotiated with plausible deniability.

Sonic Range and Cultural Impact in South Africa

While international critics have noted lingering comparisons to established pop icons like Rihanna, Tyla’s musical palette draws from a wide generational lens. Her tracks incorporate trap beats, reverb-heavy electric guitars, and amapiano log rhythms alongside straight pop structures. Songs like Push 2 Start from her previous deluxe release and newer radio offerings demonstrate a versatility designed for both festival mainstages and streaming charts.

TYLA – A*POP | FULL ALBUM REACTION! 🔥 First Listen & Honest Review

Back home, the release of A*POP has sparked intense national enthusiasm. Fans in South Africa organized local listening parties and reached out directly to her record label, Sony, demanding access to listening sessions. OkayAfrica described the project as a cultural artifact whose outsize impact will unfold over time as Tyla continues her ascent as one of Africa’s most visible global pop exports.

Worth a look