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Tyla is a singer, songwriter, and dancer known for her mix of sultry R&B, pop, and the highly rhythmic amapiano dance style. A native of South Africa, where amapiano originated, she broke through internationally with 2023's "Water," which hit the Top Ten in several countries and additionally won a Grammy. It paved the way for her debut album, TYLA, which hit number 24 on the Billboard 200.

Born and raised in Johannesburg, Tyla Laura Seethal was still a teenager when she had her first South African chart success with the single "Getting Late" featuring Kooldrink. Released in late 2019, it established her seductive, melismatic vocal delivery and intimate yet highly rhythmic, percussion-heavy sound.

In September 2021, she made her FAX Records/Epic Records debut with the club-ready "Overdue" featuring Kooldrink and DJ Lag. The more pared-down solo effort "To Last" followed in 2022, and 2023 saw the release of songs including "Girl Next Door" (with Ayra Starr) and that July's "Water," a single that catapulted Tyla to the upper regions of the international charts. The song not only reached the Top Ten in places like Australia, several European countries, and the U.K, where it entered the Top Five, "Water" topped the singles chart in New Zealand and peaked at number 67 on the U.S. Hot 100. The latter benchmark made Tyla the first solo South African artist to enter the Hot 100 since Hugh Masekela in 1968 ("Grazing in the Grass") and, at 21, the youngest one to that point.

In early 2024, "Water" won the inaugural Best African Music Performance award at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards. On the heels of the award, Tyla released her full-length debut album, the eponymously titled TYLA, which arrived in March 2024. Along with "Water", the album included guest appearances by Kelvin Momo, Gunna, Becky G, Travis Scott, and others. It debuted at number 24 on the Billboard 200, topped the World Albums chart, and hit the Top 20 in several countries, including the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, and Switzerland. A deluxe edition, Tyla +, added three songs: "Shake Ah," "Push 2 Start," and "Back to You." ~ Marcy Donelson

Tems is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and producer whose thoughtful blend of alternative R&B and Afrobeats commands international attention. After notching the 2019 hit "Try Me," she began to appear on high-profile tracks like WizKid's "Essence" and Drake's "Fountains." Her first two EPs, 2020's For Broken Ears and 2021's If Orange Was a Place, yielded her own hits like "Damages" and "Found," the latter with Brent Faiyaz. She was then featured on Future's Grammy Award-winning 2022 single "Wait for U." Born in the Wild, her debut album, arrived in 2024.

Born in the capital city of Lagos to a Nigerian mother and British father, Temilade Openiyi spent part of her childhood in the U.K. before moving back to her home country. She nurtured her musical talent in a local choir, learning to play piano and eventually writing her own songs inspired both by classic Nigerian music and artists like Lauryn Hill and Amy Winehouse. Using the stage name Tems, she released the single "Mr. Rebel" in 2018, followed a year later by "Looku Looku" and "Try Me," the latter of which became a significant hit. 2020 proved to be a banner year for Tems with the release of her debut EP, For Broken Ears, and a number of high-profile collaborations. She teamed up with American singer Khalid on a remix of Davido's track "Know Your Worth" and joined WizKid on his song "Essence." Her own track, "Damages," also became a hit, and she followed up her success with a second EP, If Orange Was a Place, in 2021. That same year, she was featured on Drake's track "Fountains," as well as a new mix of WizKid's "Essence" that also featured Justin Beiber. Along with Drake, Tems was featured on Future's 2022 single "Wait for U," which reached number one in the U.S. and later picked up a Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance. She also made appearances on Beyoncé's Renaissance and the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack. "Me & U," an amapiano-influenced single interpolating an unreleased Drake song, was issued in 2023, and made several pop charts around the world. It was followed by two further hits, "Not an Angel" and "Love Me JeJe." Born in the Wild, Tems' debut album, arrived to global acclaim in 2024. ~ Timothy Monger