TYLAS RISE TO STARDOM: A NEW ERA WITH NIKE

From recording in a makeshift closet studio in Johannesburg to becoming a global music and fashion force, Tyla’s meteoric rise has been nothing short of extraordinary. At just 23, the South African sensation has effortlessly fused Amapiano, Afrobeats, pop, and R&B into a boundary-pushing sound that has captivated audiences worldwide. Now, she’s expanding her influence beyond music—partnering with one of the most iconic brands on the planet: Nike.

Tyla’s connection to the Swoosh runs deep. As a child in South Africa, she admired Nike gear from afar, often borrowing her older brother’s hand-me-downs just to get a piece of the brand she loved. “They were always Nike, and I wanted them so badly,” she recalls. Today, she no longer has to borrow—she’s become an official face of the brand.

For Nike, this collaboration is more than just a co-sign; it’s a statement. Tyla represents the new wave of African artistry—unapologetic, genre-fluid, and culturally groundbreaking. Her effortless blend of sound, movement, and style has made her a fashion icon in her own right, with her signature “Flintstone” aesthetic—distressed, ripped-up, and effortlessly cool—resonating with a generation that craves individuality. And she’s already thinking bigger. “Maybe a Tyla shoe? That would be fire,” she teased in a recent Nike interview.

Nike has long aligned itself with cultural innovators who redefine the status quo—Travis Scott, Billie Eilish, and Drake among them. Now, Tyla joins that elite league, bringing her own brand of fearless creativity to the table. “My hope for the next generation of African artists, especially women, is that we can make what we want to make and not be boxed into a specific genre,” she says. With Nike behind her, that vision isn’t just possible—it’s inevitable.