Tyla’s latest album, A*POP, is officially out, giving fans 14 new tracks that blend her signature style with exciting new influences while proudly carrying a South African heartbeat.
Global (26 June 2026) – Tyla has never been afraid to do things differently and her second studio album proves exactly why she has become one of South Africa’s biggest global success stories.
Released on the 24th of July, A*POP (African Pop) marks the follow-up to her history-making debut album and arrives after months of anticipation. Featuring 14 tracks, including the already-loved singles CHANEL, IS IT LOVE, SHE DID IT AGAIN featuring Zara Larsson, and IS IT, the album leans into Tyla’s signature sound while exploring fresh influences rooted in pop, R&B, Afrobeats and South African rhythms.
In an interview with Apple Music, Tyla spoke openly about how she has grown as an artist, and it’s that confidence that she has brought to her new album.
“When I came in, I feel like I was very green, and you know I had a very innocent idea of the world and the industry. I thought it’s all like rainbows and yay I get to sing, and it is that, but it’s also… you have to be strong-minded, you know, in order to stay yourself in all of this. So yeah, right now I’m the most confident I’ve ever been. I’m strong. I’m excited. I’m at peace.”
Within days of its release, A*POP has landed on Apple Music charts in several countries and is charting in South Africa, while early streaming numbers suggest fans have wasted no time diving into her new music that is showing off her diverse background.
“A*POP is literally me trying to extend the idea of what an African pop star looks like, what an African pop star sounds like. I really feel like now that I’m on my second album, I’m really excited to show how diverse I am and how I grew up around so many different influences.. and I really want to show that and share that,” Tyla explained in the interview.
One of my favourite songs, a reimagining of FAIRYTALE, is currently number 1 on the South African Apple Charts and number 6 on Spotify (South Africa). The remake is more than an interpolation, it is a celebration of South African musical heritage, paying homage to a song that helped shape the country’s contemporary sound while demonstrating how timeless music continues to transcend generations.
“When we wrote Fairytale, we never imagined it would still be finding new audiences all these years later,” says Ziyon of Liquideep.
“To hear an artist like Tyla, who is carrying South African music to every corner of the world, embrace the song is incredibly special. It reminds us that great music never really belongs to one moment in time. It evolves, it grows and it keeps connecting people.”
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Critics have also been quick to celebrate the entire album. Reviews from The Guardian, which gave the album “top marks”, and Pitchfork, which called it “fun, sexy and cool”, have praised Tyla’s confidence, genre-blending approach and ability to create an album that feels both nostalgic and unmistakably modern.
Tyla hasn’t tried to recreate what worked before. Instead, she has built on it. The album embraces everything from early-2000s-inspired pop to house and Afro-pop influences that many South Africans will instantly recognise, creating a sound that feels both international and proudly homegrown. That balance has become Tyla’s superpower. She continues to carry South Africa onto some of the world’s biggest stages while bringing pieces of home along for the ride.
A*POP is available now on all major streaming platforms, and if its opening weekend is anything to go by, this is only the beginning of another remarkable chapter for one of South Africa’s brightest stars.
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