Music analysis - An African Pop princess, utilising the revival of the 00s - ‘A*POP’- Tyla
Tyla, an artist who has proven her success as a global sensation, released her highly anticipated sophomore album, A*POP.
The album utilises a blend of Pop, Rnb and South African music to create the unique sound she is famed for, writes Music News Blitz’s Brianna Ngambi.
00s Revival
This era curated an aesthetic that is reminiscent of the 2000s and early 2010s, and this is maintained in the tracks.
With the clear inspiration of “Beautiful Liar” by Beyonce and Shakira in one of Tyla’s singles, “SHE DID IT AGAIN” with Zara Larsson and a cover of Liquideep’s “Fairytale,” a South African Duo whose heyday was in that time period, it is obvious that Tyla is deep into the revival that has grown gradually over this current decade.
This is also present in the stylistic choices that Tyla and her team have made, with the neon-bright makeup and the streetwear that mirrors the style of Ciara and other 2000s stars.
All this to say that it still remains current and she makes it her own, so the music does not sound dated but rather a blend of the past and present.
Tyla states in an interview with Today that this album is achieving “her inner childhood dream,” which explains why there are callbacks to the past but still maintaining this fresh image of an African pop star, which she thought as a child to be “unattainable.”
Also, this connection between music and fashion is quite typical of pop stars who want to usher in the beginning of a new era, so by Tyla presenting herself in looks that incorporate pieces of the 00s and 10s, it signals that her album would be inspired by the music within the time period.
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Genre-blending
On top of combining periods of time, she maintains her unique sound that was present in her debut self-titled album.
As the title of the current Album shows, expanding African influence in the pop space is Tyla’s aim, and this is evident with her inclusion of South African artists, MaWhoo and Babalwa M, and also singing in Zulu on these tracks.
As well as that, Liquideep, who I would claim are the definition of African Pop, are featured on the album, singing on the cover Tyla does of their track.
This integration of South African Artists and Western sounds is something Tyla has perfected on this particular album, and I thoroughly enjoy it.
From “Getting Late” to “Water” and now the most recent single “THAT GIRL,” she has proven that African Pop is something that can be enjoyed globally due to its success and also that it deserves the space within the Pop realm.
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Favourite tracks
Personally, African Pop has always been close to my heart, and I have been following Tyla since “Getting Late,” and what I can say is that, despite this album not being my favourite she has released, I still have favourites on the album.
Upon first listen, excluding the singles at the time, I enjoyed “MR NONCHALANT” and “FAIRYTALE” the most. Both are very different production-wise but still incorporate that sound she is known for.
Liquideep also reminds me of my childhood, as a person who has South African heritage, so it was the perfect intersection of a new-age artist I enjoy and one that brings back nostalgic memories.
“MR NONCHALANT” is very fun and reminds me of “Get Me Bodied” by Beyonce, which is another callback to the 00s.
The more I listen, the more I have gained other favourites such as “DOUBLE BLIND,” “IS IT LOVE” and “CRAZY OF ME.”
“DOUBLE BLIND” is a track that has tremendously grown on me and feels like the embodiment of the revival Tyla is presenting in this album.
The Production seems Caribbean dancehall-inspired, which had a huge moment in the 00s and continues to thrive, making the track still maintain freshness despite its influence.
“IS IT LOVE” is very RnB with a distinct bridge, which is going out of style with the lengths of popular songs in this decade.
However, she remains true to Rnb and its love of bridges, which is something I love about the genre.
It's a slower track but is extremely catchy with a very memorable chorus, keeping to the Pop origins of the album.
My Final favourite, “CRAZY OF ME” featuring MaWhoo, has deep house production and is the perfect example of Tyla’s genre-blending on this Album.
The repetition of “Yebo” maintains the Pop roots as it is extremely catchy and memorable, and still sticks to Tyla’s aim of bringing South African sounds to Pop, as defined in the West.
Overall, this album shows her evolution as an artist while making it clear that Pop can have more influences and that African Pop is here to stay and expand.
It also shows her transition into stardom as she has showcased an aesthetic that is present in her music and her fashion, making this era recognisable.
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