Everyone’s vibing with Tyla right now, and it’s easy to see why. The 23-year-old Grammy winner is being celebrated by Glamour magazine as their 2025 Global Woman of the Year, gracing five international editions for her incredible role in bringing South African music and culture to a global stage. This recognition is a testament to the undeniable power of her artistry and influence.
In a deeply personal feature for Glamour’s Global Women of the Year issue, Tyla opens up about the music that shaped her. She credits iconic South African artists Brenda Fassie and Lebo Mathosa as her earliest and most significant inspirations. Through her exclusive “Glamour Girlhood” Q&A, she reflects on their profound legacy and her own electrifying journey from the streets of Johannesburg to worldwide stardom, a path that continues to inspire many.
Tyla recently shared her insights in Glamour magazine’s Global Women of the Year 2025 issue, delving into her musical roots and the South African legends who molded her sound. In her captivating “Glamour Girlhood” Q&A video and profile, she specifically named Brenda Fassie and Lebo Mathosa as the first pop stars she ever looked up to. She affectionately describes them as “our pop stars,” whose infectious energy filled her childhood with boundless inspiration and dreams of performing.
Growing up in South Africa, the music and magnetic charisma of Fassie and Mathosa ignited Tyla’s own aspirations to become a performer. Their fearless boldness, captivating stage presence, and fierce individuality didn’t just influence her unique musical blend of amapiano, pop, and R&B; they also shaped her confidence and image as a rising global artist. Her feature across Glamour’s US, UK, Spain, Germany, and Mexico editions marks a significant milestone, solidifying her position as a vital cultural ambassador for African excellence on the world’s stage.
Through both her striking visuals and her heartfelt words, Tyla honors the enduring legacy of Fassie and Mathosa, channeling their vibrant energy into her modern identity—bold, sensual, and unapologetically African. As she prepares for her highly anticipated Asia tour, Tyla continues to embody the spirit of her idols while simultaneously defining a new, exciting era of global pop music. From her viral dance challenges to her unforgettable beauty moments (that iconic eyebrow slit is here to stay!), she is the artist everyone is eager to dance with, and she’s only just begun. Her rise is a powerful reminder of the global reach and impact of Black artistry, proving that talent and vision know no borders. For more on the impact of artists like Tyla and the vibrant tapestry of African music, keep it locked here at BlkCosmo.
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For Education and discussion purposes. Please note no copyright infringement is intended, was recorded on BlkCosmo’s own equipment, and we do not own nor claim to own any of the original recordings used in this video and intend to use this as ‘fair use’.
