Tyla Breaks Records with 1 Billion Streams on Spotify

Spotify Celebrates Tyla's Historic Success with Over 1 Billion Streams

South African star Tyla has achieved a groundbreaking milestone as the first solo African artist with her song "Water" surpassing 1 billion streams on Spotify. This record was officially confirmed on February 19, 2025.

Phiona Okumu, Head of Music for Spotify Africa, praised Tyla's exceptional talent, work ethic, and the ability of her music to transcend borders. Okumu emphasized that this achievement will serve as an inspiration for other African artists to aim higher.

Released on July 28, 2023, under FAX and Epic Records, "Water" also marked the title track of Tyla's debut album, which was released in March of the same year. The song quickly gained traction, peaking at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, and securing the top spot on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart for 43 consecutive weeks. It maintained a presence on the charts for a total of 55 weeks.

Tyla, born in Johannesburg on January 30, 2002, made history as the youngest South African artist to break into the Billboard Hot 100 charts in 55 years.

The success of "Water" has also earned Tyla multiple international awards, including a Grammy, three MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs), two BET Awards, two Billboard Music Awards, and two MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) in the previous year.

"We are incredibly proud of Tyla's historic achievement. This is a motivating force for emerging artists across Africa and the world, and we are honored to have played a part in her journey," said Phiona Okumu in an official statement.

In addition to joining the elite ranks of Spotify's billion-stream club, Tyla now stands alongside a select group of African artists who have reached such a significant milestone. Notably, Spotify also confirmed that Nigerian artist Tems became the first African female artist to reach 1 billion streams with her 2022 hit "Wait For U," featuring Future and Drake.

Other African collaborations that have surpassed the 1 billion streams milestone on Spotify include "One Dance" (2016) by Drake featuring Wizkid and Kyla, and "Calm Down" (2022) by Rema featuring Selena Gomez.

What sets Tyla apart, however, is that she is the first artist to reach this achievement with a solo track—making it a truly unique accomplishment.

Tyla's stellar journey continues with her 2024 release "Push 2 Start," further solidifying her place among the most distinguished African artists.