Global Beats: Tyla's Journey from South African Amapiano to International Pop

Tyla Laura Seethal's debut has significantly marked the global music scene, not just through her individual talent, but as a vibrant showcase of South African musical influences. Her standout track "Water" and the tracks that follow on her self-titled album are less a testament to individual genius than to the power of cultural collaboration and sound evolution. Tyla channels Johannesburg's deep musical roots, especially its modern interpretation of amapiano, a genre characterized by deep, pulsating rhythms, melodic piano lines, and a seamless blend of local and international beats.

In her music, Tyla brings the essence of South African amapiano to the forefront, marrying it with global pop sensibilities. This isn't about complex musical virtuosity but about the profound ability to translate cultural stories and rhythms into universally engaging music. Her tracks leverage the distinctive bounce and sway of amapiano, using its rhythmic flexibility to infuse her music with a unique energy that's both fresh and deeply rooted in tradition.

The album’s production quality shines, presenting Tyla’s vocal versatility in a framework that respects the genre's origins while pushing its boundaries. In songs like “Safer” and “Breathe Me,” there’s an evident blend of ambient sounds and rhythmic pulses – a signature of South African house music – yet they're tailored to accommodate Tyla's softer, more introspective vocal style. This balance between the beat’s foundational support and the lead’s expressive melody showcases the collaborative spirit of music production, where cultural depth meets international appeal.

“Butterflies” exemplifies this melding of influences, combining semi-acoustic elements with subtle electronic beats, creating a soundscape that’s both innovative and evocative of broader African music traditions. The track exemplifies how Tyla’s music serves as a bridge, connecting the soul of South African musical heritage with global pop trends, creating a dialogue between cultures.

Tyla

is a South African singer and songwriter who performs Afro-pop and electro music.

Tyla's album represents a significant moment in the globalization of African music, highlighting how genres like amapiano have evolved from local expressions to worldwide movements. Her music does not stand in isolation; it's a part of a larger narrative of African musicians bringing their cultural heritage to the global stage, transforming and being transformed by international influences. This cultural exchange enriches the global music landscape, introducing new sounds and stories while honoring their origins. Tyla's work is a vibrant chapter in this ongoing musical story, showcasing the dynamic, ever-evolving spirit of South African music.

Saint Levant releases his new song - "Diera"

Diera is a lyrical construct paying homage to a Gazan architectural marvel

Twenty-three year old Palestinian-American singer/rapper/songwriter Saint Levant has teamed up with fifteen year old Palestinian rapper, MC Abdul, on their new 2024 song “Deira” - a stirring tribute to Palestinian culture, specifically that of Gazan Palestinians. The story here really is about Saint Levant and his connection to Gaza, as the song’s name in reference to Deira Hotel - his father’s architectural legacy on the Gazan beachfront, which also served as Levant’s family home.  Levant, whose real name is Marwan Abdelhamed, is a multilingual artist, who is of French-Algerian (maternal) and Palestinian-Serbian (paternal) heritage, was born in Jerusalem in 2000. 

“Deira is the name of the hotel that my father Rashid, an architect, built with my mother in 2000 when they moved to Gaza. He built this hotel with mud because it was impossible to import cement at the time. ”

— Saint Levant

However, for reasons to me that are still a bit murky, something having to do with the second intifada around the time of his birth, Levant grew up in the Gaza strip before the family migrated to Jordan in 2007.   The fusion of Levant’s ethnic intersectionality is beautifully fused in “Diera”.  Traditional Algerian Shaabi music is the rhythmic beat of the song while the music video highlights Gazan Palestinian “daily life, fashion, sports through a dreamy and nostalgic lens.”

Levant further explains in his own words that, “Deira is the name of the hotel that my father Rashid, an architect, built with my mother in 2000 when they moved to Gaza.  He built this hotel with mud because it was impossible to import cement at the time.  Located on the beach, this hotel was one of the most beautiful in Gaza, made up of 22 rooms. It was a true architectural marvel. On July 16, 2014, four children playing ball out front of the hotel were killed by Israeli rocket fire and most recently the hotel was totally destroyed by bombing three months ago.” 

Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) killed four innocent Palestinian children playing on the Gaza beach.

The Diera Hotel, 2014

Both now based in the United States (and both who had escaped Gaza just days before the brutal Israeli onslaught) Saint Levant and MC Abdul both express a sense of longing for Palestine.  The song and their music in general is serving as a form of therapy, activism and resilience.  I thank both MC Adbul and Saint Levant for artistically giving us all an outlet to express and feel our Palestinian connection.