LONDON, UK – You want Amapiano Pop? You'll get Amapiano Pop. Following up a Grammy-winning, multi-platinum global breakout is no easy feat, but with her highly anticipated sophomore masterpiece A*POP, Tyla hasn't just returned—she’s reset the entire scene. A bold evolution from her debut, this 14-track album is both a statement and a movement. It's a declaration that African music is pop music, and Tyla is leading the charge at the forefront of this global shift.
From the moment you drop the needle on the opening track "IS IT LOVE", you are immediately drawn into Tyla's immersive world. Introduced by her signature sultry vocals over sexy guitar synths, it cements a bold, demanding energy. When she asks, "Is it love if you don't cry, cry, cry? Don't mean shit if I don't see tears in those eyes," you realise she is taking no prisoners. We all better cry. She carries this unapologetic flex right into "THAT GIRL," where her cascading South African accent wraps around demands for Maybachs and APs. Who's that girl? It’s Tyla, obviously.
The album then seamlessly locks into a futuristic groove. "KISS" feels like a distant 80s Afro-Pop synth dream that draws you into an infectious, addictive beat. Then arrives "IS IT"—pure Amapiano Pop perfection. It has that immediate gravitational pull where you instantly know the sound is distinctly hers; it is the exact kinetic energy we have grown to love. Add in "CHANEL," the glossy, log-drum heavy track that single-handedly cemented her soundstage takeover, and you have an artist completely in control of her sonic architecture.
She proves she can pivot into sultry R&B territory flawlessly, too. "DOUBLE BLIND" channels the 90s soul of En Vogue or 702, while "FEEL SOMETHING" delivers haunting lyrics over a baseline where Tyla’s voice moves like double velvet silk under the South African sky. "RIGHT NOW" and "MR. NONCHALANT" keep this late-night momentum burning bright (and graciously adds the word sloshed to our daily vocab). Where the album slightly dozes off, however, is "FAIRYTALE." While a sparkly rendition, it feels more like a bedtime story that disrupts the tempo. But she quickly wakes us back up with the Zara Larsson assist on the dangerous pop roulette of "SHE DID IT AGAIN."
The true emotional core of A*POP—the tracks that hit straight to the nerve—arrive toward the end. "CRAZY OF ME" (feat. MaWhoo) is spiritual Amapiano Pop perfection. Tyla’s confession "I thought I had enough, enough time, oh" cuts deep, reflecting on the arrogance of youth and lost time. When MaWhoo steps in with her isiZulu verses, the track transforms from an apology into a sacred prayer. This transitions brilliantly into "I DON'T CARE" (feat. Babalwa M), a masterclass in surgical emotional detachment post-breakup. When she sings, "And you're out every week 'cause you hoping you'll see me there / Funny, you thought I'd still care," it's devastatingly precise. Finally, she wraps it up by reminding us what really matters on "HOT TUBS," a super sexy reminder to stop the daily grind and focus strictly on drunk love and funds.
When Tyla and her camp first started moving with WWP, we were bracing for a full-length drop back in 2025. The wait felt heavy. Cuts like “Dynamite,” “Bliss,” and “Mr. Media” are noticeably absent from the A*POP tracklist—tracks that would have undeniably injected a bit more of that raw South African magic into the wax. But looking at the tight, uncompromising architecture of the final cut, it makes complete sense why they were left off to prioritise the core tracks. A*POP was a long time coming, but dropping the needle on it now is incredibly refreshing.
Now, let's be crystal clear: we love Tyla. We will be spinning this magnificent slab of wax all summer, and it sounds utterly satisfying. While we crave even more of those deep Afro-soul cuts to fully expand the Tyla universe, A*POP undeniably cements her as a true global icon.
