Who is Tyla? Everything to know about WNBA All-Star Game halftime show performer's songs, background, more

During Saturday's halftime break of the WNBA All-Star Game, viewers will be able to catch a halftime performance from two-time Grammy winner Tyla.

The South African singer and songwriter has quietly made a name for herself around the world with her melodic tunes and voice. Her song, "Water," has almost 1.5 billion streams on Spotify and was an award winner in 2024.

Tyla's performance at the All-Star Game is even more significant because it will come a day after she releases her new album, "A*POP."

Here's the rundown on the pop and R&B artist's career before her performance at the WNBA All-Star Game.

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Who is Tyla?

Tyla, born Tyla Laura Seethal, is a two-time Grammy-winning South African singer and songwriter. She was born on January 30, 2002, in Edenvale, South Africa. She released her first song, "Getting Late," on October 25, 2019.

The 24-year-old was recently announced as the halftime performer during the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game.

Tyla first broke out worldwide with her hit “Water,” which earned her the first-ever Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance in 2024. Her debut albums, TYLA and TYLA+, have garnered over five billion streams combined, according to Kworb. In 2026, she won her second Grammy for Best African Music Performance with her single “Push 2 Start.”

Tyla is the first artist to spend a cumulative 100 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart- as well as the artist with the most No.1s on that same chart, according to an official WNBA press release. On the day before she performs in Chicago, Tyla will be releasing another album, "A*POP." 

“I’m honored to be a part of the AT&T WNBA All-Star Game this year,” said Tyla, per the WNBA press release. “These athletes bring so much power and heart to what they do, and I’m excited to share the stage and bring A*POP to my supporters.”

MORE: Will Paige Bueckers miss the All-Star Game due to injury?

Tyla songs, lyrics

Throughout her discography, the South African artist has several major hits that have found vast success across the music world. Here are Tyla's most-played songs along with their lyrics.

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Water

In 2023, Tyla dropped her most popular song, "Water." The sleek and catchy beat, meshed with the singer's smooth voice, helped the song quickly burst onto the scene. Her song peaked as high as No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, according to Billboard, and earned Tyla her first-every Grammy award for Best African Music Performance in 2024. As of July 2026, the song has garnered over 1.4 billion streams on Spotify, according to Kworb.

Make me sweat, make me hotter
Make me lose my breath, make me water
Make me sweat, make me hotter
Make me lose my breath, make me water

Normally
I can keep my cool, but tonight I'm wildin'
I'ma be (yeah)
In a dangerous mood, can you match my timing? (Mm, mm)

Telling me (yeah)
That you really 'bout it, why try hide it? Ooh
Talk is cheap, so show me
That you understand how I like it

Can you blow my mind?
Set off my whole body
If I give you my time (ooh)
Can you snatch my soul from me?
I don't wanna wait, come take it
Take me where I ain't been before
Can you blow my mind?
Set off my whole body, whole body

Make me sweat, make me hotter
Make me lose my breath, make me water
Make me sweat, make me hotter
Make me lose my breath, make me water

Hopefully
You can last all night, don't get too excited (ooh)
Oh, privacy (mm)
You ain't gotta go nowhere, you can stay inside it

Can you blow my mind? (Oh)
Set off my whole body
If I give you my time (if I give you my time)
Can you snatch my soul from me?
I don't wanna wait, come take it
Take me where I ain't been before (before)
Can you blow my mind?
Set off my whole body, whole body (hey boy)

Make me sweat, make me hotter (hotter)
Make me lose my breath, make me water
Make me sweat (sweat), make me hotter (hotter)
Make me lose my breath, make me water (make me sweat)
Make me sweat, make me hotter (hotter)
Make me lose my breath, make me water
Make me sweat (sweat), make me hotter (hotter)
Make me lose my breath, make me water
Make me sweat, make me hotter
Make me lose my breath, make me water
Make me sweat, make me hotter
Make me lose my breath, make me water

PUSH 2 START

Tyla's second most-streamed song on Spotify has been "PUSH 2 START." Since its release as a single in October 2024, the song has tallied a total of 510 million plays on Spotify. At its peak, it landed at No. 88 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and even gave the artist her second Grammy for Best African Music Performance in 2026.

Ay
Ay, yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah
Oh

The way we move, uh, skin onto skin
No separation, need no conversation, nah, nah, nah
Uh, on everything
It's automatic, goin' zero to a hun-na-na
Ridin', wishin' the wheels will fall off
Time is tickin', it's takin' you too long
Right before I decide to go home

Act like you heard me
Only serve it up if you deserve me, yeah
Pull up and earn me (pusha, pusha)
Push to start (pusha, pusha)
Act like you heard me
Only serve it up if you deserve me, yeah
Pull up and earn me (pusha, pusha)
Push to start (pusha, pusha)

Mm, pushin' on my buttons with no hesitation ('tation)
Gas me up, give me motivation ('vation)
So tell me where we goin', pick a destination ('nation)
Gas me up, give me motivation now ('vation)
Pushin' on my buttons with no hesitation ('tation)
Gas me up, give me motivation ('vation)
So tell me where we goin', pick a destination ('nation)
Gas me up, give me motivation now (nah)

Come give me life, and I'll change yours
Who needs signs? I say, "Floor it"
On a highway, we load it
Hold me, load me, hold me

Act like you heard me
Only serve it up if you deserve me, yeah
Pull up and earn me (pusha, pusha)
Push to start (pusha, pusha)
Act like you heard me
Only serve it up if you deserve me, yeah
Pull up and earn me (pusha, pusha)
Push to start (pusha, pusha)

Mm, pushin' on my buttons with no hesitation ('tation)
Gas me up, give me motivation ('vation)
So tell me where we goin', pick a destination ('nation)
Gas me up, give me motivation now ('vation)
Pushin' on my buttons with no hesitation ('tation)
Gas me up, give me motivation ('vation)
So tell me where we goin', pick a destination (nation)
Gas me up, give me motivation now (nah)

Give me life, I'll change yours
Who needs signs? I say, "Floor it"
On a high when we load it
Oh

CHANEL

Tyla's third most popular song on Spotify is "CHANEL." The single first debuted in 2025 and has since gathered 385 million views. While this tune has her third-most Spotify streams, it was her second-highest charting song on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 43.

Put her in Chanel
Put her in Chanel
How you say you love me? You ain't put me in Chanel
How you say you love me? You ain't put me in Chanel
How you say you love me? You ain't put me in Chanel
How you say you love me? You ain't put me in Chanel
How you say you love me? You ain't put me in Chanel
Say you love me, put me in Chanel

Turns out, I had you turned out
What's my mood? Try me, come find out
One more time, stop tryna read my mind
I'm not her, and she's not me, and you're not mine

Lil' yeah with me
(Baby, I'm on DND) please, don't bother me
(AP, no VV) flawless diamond piece
(Yeah, you gotta make me freeze)
Reasons that you gotta

Put her in Chanel
(Mm-mm) put her in Chanel
How you say you love me? You ain't put me in Chanel
How you say you love me? You ain't put me in Chanel
How you say you love me? You ain't put me in Chanel
How you say you love me? You ain't put me in Chanel
How you say you love me? You ain't put me in Chanel
Say you love me, put me in Chanel

I'm a big dog, baby, underdog, baby
Self-made b—, yeah, you ain't upgrade me
Waistline crazy, mandem chase me
Say you wan' see me, where you gon' take me?

Put her in Chanel
(Mm-mm) put her in Chanel
How you say you love me? You ain't put me in Chanel
Say you love me, put me in Chanel

Walkin', standin' tall, but still fall for me
You comin' with baggage, it's costin' me
Still don't have it all, but give it all to me
Come and turn me on, boy, go off on me

Lil' yeah with me
(Baby, I'm on DND) please, don't bother me
(AP, no VV) flawless diamond piece
(Yeah, you gotta make me freeze)
Reasons that you gotta

Put her in Chanel
(Mm-mm) put her in Chanel
How you say you love me? You ain't put me in Chanel
How you say you love me? You ain't put me in Chanel
How you say you love me? You ain't put me in Chanel
How you say you love me? You ain't put me in Chanel
How you say you love me? You ain't put me in Chanel
Say you love me, put me in Chanel

I'm a big dog, baby, underdog, baby
Self-made b—, yeah, you ain't upgrade me
Waistline crazy, mandem chase me
Say you wan' see me, where you gon' take me?

Put her in Chanel
(Mm-mm) put her in Chanel
How you say you love me? You ain't put me in Chanel
Say you love me, put me in Chanel

Put her in Chanel
Put her in Chanel
How you say you love me? You ain't put me in Chanel
How you say you love me? You ain't put me in Chanel
How you say you love me? You ain't put me in Chanel
How you say you love me? You ain't put me in Chanel
How you say you love me? You ain't put me in Chanel
Say you love me, put me in Chanel