South African rising star Tyla has made history, becoming the first African solo artist to surpass 1 billion streams on Spotify with her breakout hit “Water.”
Spotify confirmed the milestone on Wednesday, Feb. 19, marking a major achievement for the 22-year-old singer and the growing global influence of African music.
Released on July 28, 2023, via FAX and Epic Records, “Water” quickly became a viral sensation, introducing Amapiano to the global mainstream.
The track reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, making Tyla the youngest South African artist to enter the chart’s Top 10.
The song dominated multiple Billboard charts, holding the No. 1 spot on the U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart for 55 weeks—the longest run in the chart’s history. It also topped:
World Digital Song Sales (18 weeks) Dance/Mix Show Airplay (4 weeks) Rhythmic Airplay (1 week)
Remixes featuring Travis Scott and Marshmello further propelled the track’s success, solidifying Tyla as a global force in music.
Award-Winning Success
“Water” has earned Tyla major accolades, including:
Best African Music Performance at the 2024 Grammys (the inaugural award in this category) Top Afrobeats Song at the Billboard Music Awards Best Afrobeats Video at the MTV Video Music Awards
Spotify’s Billions Club Welcomes Tyla
Tyla’s historic Spotify milestone places her in an elite group of African artists. Just a day before her achievement, Tems became the first African female artist to surpass 1 billion Spotify streams with Future’s “Wait for U” featuring Drake.
Other African artists who have hit the 1 billion mark include:
Wizkid, the first African artist to reach the milestone with Drake’s 2016 hit “One Dance” Rema, whose “Calm Down” remix with Selena Gomez became the first African artist-led track to reach the milestone in September 2023
Tyla’s Impact on African Music
Phiona Okumu, head of music at Spotify Africa, praised Tyla’s record-breaking feat:
“We are incredibly proud of Tyla’s historic achievement. This milestone is a testament to her talent, hard work, and the power of music to transcend borders. Tyla’s success is an inspiration to aspiring artists across Africa and the world, and we are honored to have played a part in her journey.”
Tyla’s success underscores the rising global impact of African music, particularly Amapiano, the genre she has helped introduce to mainstream audiences. With her self-titled debut album dropping in March, the South African star is just getting started.
