Amid the frenetic competition in modern music, artists only get once chance at an introduction. That’s perhaps why – more and more – musicians hold back on their debut album, waiting until the moment is right. It’s a delicate art, but with her self-titled 15-track debut album we’re glad to say that TYLA has executed this perfectly.
Her rise has been immaculate. The amapiano queen blends club tropes with a creative openness, infusing her work with R&B aspects, hip-hop tropes, and carefully curated guests. Nothing is left to chance, with the exacting nature of her work allowing TYLA to transcend genre forms, and flip expectations.
Honeyed on the ear, TYLA’s debut album opens with a flurry of highlights. ‘Water’ oozes charm, while ‘Truth Or Dare’ has a teasing edge over those amapiano drums. Interpolating fresh elements within her potent elixir, she’s able to remain true to her roots while expanding ever-outwards. The spiralling guitar lines on ‘Butterflies’ point to Millennial R&B, but in a fashion that feels totally true to her; ‘On And On’ has a slight latin tint to the arrangement, while serving to reinforce TYLA’s core values.
Guests are used sparingly. Kelvin Momo helps to engage the album’s introduction, while fellow queen Tems is on velvet form throughout album highlight ‘No. 1’. Closing with a run of golden moments – the arena-worthy ‘Priorities’, the bold finale ‘To Last’ – this feels like a real statement, one worth savouring. On the surface, all is shimmering and light, TYLA’s breathtaking sense of control illuminating the record with refulgent emotion. Alongside this, though, is a desire to push the boundaries – both shockingly immediate and with immense replay value, TYLA’s debut album taps into the emerging energies of spring to produce one of 2024’s most insistent projects. The world is hers.
8/10
Words: Robin Murray
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