South African pop sensation Tyla loves to play “dress-up” with her fashion.
Tyla feels “more like a diva” when she plays “dress-up”.
The 23-year-old South African singer has made her mark in the world of fashion since releasing her breakthrough hit single ‘Water’ in July 2023.
Tyla made her debut fashion week performance at the after-party for the Dolce and Gabbana SS23 show in Milan, Italy, in February 2023, donning a vintage early ’90s-inspired look.
The pop star wants to get more involved in fashion and admits the right clothes transform her personality.
Speaking to British Vogue as their March issue cover star, Tyla – who was photographed by Rafael Pavarotti for the magazine – said: “Playing dress-up is fun.
“And I love wearing heels. It just makes me feel more like a diva!
“I’m very hands-on with everything I put out.
“I know how I want to feel that day and how I want to look.”
Tyla – who made history in 2024 by winning the inaugural Grammy for Best African Music Performance for ‘Water’ – was invited by Louis Vuitton’s men’s creative director Pharrell Williams to perform at the fashion label’s introduction to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games last summer.
Tyla recalled: “I was just excited to meet Pharrell, and my mum kept calling me saying, ‘Don’t forget to tell him I said hello!’”
Her collaborator Thebe Magugu, a Johannesburg-based award-winning designer, loves seeing what Tyla does with his clothes.
He said: “Tyla has so much fun with fashion. I am always pleasantly surprised at how she takes my collections and completely twists, tucks, cuts and transforms them into something only Tyla can pull off and convincingly wear.
“For example, my classic Sisterhood tank is straightforward, but when she dresses in it she twists the hem into a knot and tucks it under the bust to transform it into a cropped compression bra-tank hybrid …
“Tyla represents South Africa’s cultural renaissance.
“She unapologetically showcases – even boasts – about our culture. It’s a beautiful reminder to use where you are from as fuel to push you further, not something to hide so you can assimilate.”
See the full feature in the March issue of British Vogue, available via digital download and on newsstands from Tuesday, February 25.
Tyla is ‘more like a diva’ when she plays ‘dress-up’ with her fashion
