Trevor Noah chats to Tyla for Interview magazine

Tyla is opening up about her global rise to fame in a new interview with fellow South African, Trevor Noah. 

The stand-up comedian chatted to the 'Water' hitmaker for Interview magazine's winter issue.

Interview is an American magazine that's been around since the 60s. Beauty mogul Kylie Jenner is featured on the cover. 

Tyla is thrilled to be featured in the publication, and she's even more excited that Trevor is the person who interviewed her. 

"Got interviewed by Trevor Noah. This was the funniest interview I’ve ever had," she wrote on X. 

ALSO READ: Tyla travels with a bag of mielie meal to make pap overseas!

Tyla told Trevor that when she finished recording 'Water' she knew it was going to be a hit.  

"A lot of the times when I make music, I get excited because I love it, but you never really know how people will react. But when I finished 'Water,' I felt in my spirit that it was going to be crazy. It sounds very dramatic, but I literally had a dream where I was watching my Spotify streams climb by the second, and this was before the song started doing well. I don’t know, maybe I have a superpower, because I saw it in a dream," she said. 

'Water' became one of the biggest songs of 2023, with several stars including Janet Jackson and Ciara dancing to the track. The 'Water Dance Challenge' first gained traction on TikTok where it has been viewed more than 100-million times. 

ALSO READ: Tyla shows Jennifer Hudson how to do the 'Water' dance

The song's music video, which was released in October, has over 66-million views on YouTube. As if that wasn't enough, Tyla became the first South African since Hugh Masekela to have a solo hit on the Billboard Hot 100. That was five decades ago! 

'Water' peaked at #10 on the chart, which is no small feat. 

Tyla, who is sometimes called the Ariana Grande of Africa, is known for infusing pop and R&B with Amapiano. 

"I’ve always been influenced by pop and R&B. Since then I’ve been working on that sound, fusing pop, R&B, and African music like Afrobeats and amapiano, and I feel like I’ve reached a point where I’ve created something new," the 'Getting Late' singer said.

ALSO READ: Tyla wows on 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'

Trevor told Tyla that "it’s amazing to see South Africans that do really well in different spheres". 

"I remember when Charlize Theron won an Oscar and how proud the country was. And the other day, when Black Coffee was playing at Madison Square Garden, it was so wonderful to feel that energy beyond South Africa," he said. 

Just a few years ago, Tyla was a high school student in Johannesburg who looked up to musicians like Rihanna. She hopes to emulate the 'Lift Me Up' singer's success in the US.

"I always attach myself to songs, not specific artists. But I do remember loving the story of Rihanna because she came from outside of America. It made me feel like my dream was achievable because, like you said, it’s not something that happens every day for us. My whole family wanted to be stars and it didn’t happen for them."

Tyla has big plans for her future. She is working on a new album, and word on the street is it could feature a music superstar or two.

Tyla, who is nominated for a 2024 Grammy, has already collaborated with Summer Walker, Travis Scott, and Marshmello.

ALSO READ: LISTEN: Summer Walker releases 'Girls Need Love' remix ft. Tyla

She's eyeing a collaboration with Drake next!  

"I want to be the biggest pop star of my generation. That’s always been the goal, and it still is. And I really want to work with Drake. I’m going to say that in every single interview until he makes it happen."

Read her full interview with Trevor on Interview magazine's website. 

Main image credit: YouTube/Tyla (Water official music video)