"Water" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Tyla | ||||
from the album Tyla | ||||
Released | 28 July 2023 | |||
Studio | ||||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:20 | |||
Label |
| |||
Songwriter(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) | Sammy Soso | |||
Tyla singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Travis Scott singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Marshmello singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Water" on YouTube |
"Water" is a song by South African singer Tyla from her debut studio album Tyla (2024). It was released on 28 July 2023 through Fax and Epic Records as the lead single from the album. An amapiano song with elements of pop,R&B and afrobeats,it sees Tyla expressing a desire for a passionate and intimate tryst. Remix versions of the song featuring American rapper Travis Scott and record producer Marshmello were both released on 17 November 2023.
"Water" reached number one in New Zealand and the top ten in Australia,Denmark,the Netherlands,United Kingdom,South Africa,Ireland,Sweden and United States,where Tyla became the youngest-ever South African and the first South African soloist in 55 years to enter the Billboard Hot 100,following Hugh Masekela's "Grazing in the Grass" in 1968. The song topped Rolling Stone 's list of the 40 best Afropop songs of 2023,and won the Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance in 2024. It was also nominated for Best International Song at the 2024 BRIT Awards,and Viewer's Choice Award at the BET Awards 2024.
"Water" was produced by British record producer Sammy Soso, [1] who wrote that production on the song began in London and finished in Los Angeles,before being sent to songwriters in Atlanta,who recorded a vocal demo. [2] Tyla was immediately captivated by this instrumental and recorded the song in Cape Town,South Africa. [3] [4] She told Interview that after finishing the song,she had a deep conviction that the song was going to be successful,stating that she had a dream involving her "watching [her] Spotify streams climb by the second". [5] While the song was still unreleased,Tyla had begun performing "Water" to warm reception whilst an opening act on the European leg of Chris Brown's Under The Influence Tour in early 2023. [6] [7] She first teased the song on TikTok,sharing a snippet of the song and its accompanying dance challenge on 8 July 2023. [8] Choreographed by South African dancer Lee-ché"Litchi" Janecke and inspired by the Bacardi dance style that originated in Pretoria, [1] [9] the dance involves shaking one's hips before pouring water down their own back in time to the song's chorus. [10] [11] Originally intended for a different song that had a more fitting music genre for this dance style,Tyla insisted to Janecke that the choreography would work with "Water",and decided to add the water gesture as she believed it would help the song attain virality. [7]
Tyla released another teaser and revealed the song's release date via social media on 16 July 2023. [12] [13] The song was then exclusively previewed on 21 July 2023 during an interview with the singer on Spotify's Mic Check podcast series after she was featured in the streaming platform's Radar program for emerging artists. [14] She revealed its cover art via social media on 25 July, [15] before it was officially released on 28 July 2023. [16] [17] The song gained traction on TikTok in August 2023 after a video of Tyla doing the accompanying dance during a live performance went viral, [10] amassing 4.3 million likes as of November 2023 [update] . [18] By mid-September,the song began surging in streams and videos featuring it on TikTok. [19] In the United States,it impacted rhythmic contemporary radio on 3 October, [20] and then contemporary hit radio on 24 October. [21] It also impacted radio in Europe during this month. [22] Originally planned to be the lead single off what would be the singer's debut EP, [3] it would end up being the first single off her debut studio album Tyla ,following her international breakthrough. [23] Released on 17 November 2023,"Water" received two remix versions by American rapper and labelmate Travis Scott,as well as American record producer Marshmello,respectively. [24] [25]
"Water" is a song that primarily blends pop and amapiano,described by the singer herself as "popiano". [1] [3] It also features elements of R&B and afrobeats music. [26] [10] [27] The song is composed in 4
4 time and in the key of D♯minor,with a moderately fast tempo of 117 beats per minute (BPM). [28] Tyla's vocals on the track span between the low note of G♯3 and the high note of C♯5,giving the song one octave and five tones of vocal range. [28] It is characterised by a prominent amapiano log drum,the singer's "euphonious" [17] vocals,and sensual melodies. [9]
With regards to the song's lyrics,the singer has described it as "kind of a naughty song" [4] and told Rolling Stone that "the meaning of the song is frisky:it's [her] letting a guy know,'Show me what you got to offer. I'm done with all the talk.'" [3] She was inspired by songs that are indirect and make use of sexual innuendos,citing "Rock the Boat" by American singer Aaliyah as an example. [3] She also uses vivid imagery to express her desire for what Neon Music described as "an all-consuming,soul-stirring connection" involving romance and sex. [29] [30] In the chorus to the song,Tyla sings a suggestive metaphor about becoming water,using figurative language to describe how she wants to feel.
"Water" first entered at number 37 on the Billboard US Afrobeats Songs on the chart dated 9 September 2023, [31] where it climbed for several weeks before debuting at number 67 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on the chart dated 14 October 2023,making Tyla the youngest-ever South African and the first South African soloist in over 55 years to enter the Hot 100,following Hugh Masekela's "Grazing in the Grass" in 1968, [32] It peaked at number 7 on the chart dated 13 January 2024,making Tyla the highest-charting African female soloist ever on the Hot 100,surpassing Miriam Makeba's peak with "Pata Pata" at number 12 in 1968. [33] It also topped both the Rhythmic Airplay and Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay charts in the United States. [34]
Elsewhere,"Water" made its first-ever chart appearance on the Hot Singles Chart in New Zealand on the chart dated 21 August 2023, [35] where it eventually topped the NZ Singles Chart on 30 October, [36] and was certified Platinum by Recorded Music NZ in December. [37] In the United Kingdom,it first entered the UK Afrobeats Singles Chart at number 13 on 9 September 2023,before debuting at number 55 on the UK Singles Chart on the chart dated 21 September 2023,where it would peak at number 4 five weeks later. [38] It was certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry on 17 November 2023. [39]
The official music video for "Water" premiered on YouTube on 6 October 2023,where it accumulated 3 million views in three days. [40] Filmed in New York City, [41] the video was directed by child. with co-direction from Kwasi "C&P" Fordjour. [42] [43] It features Tyla and friends preparing for a night out,before they attend a beachside party. [42] She performs the official "Water" choreography at the party,and then is seen dancing sensually with her love interest in a different scene towards the end of the video. [42] [41] Tyla told Essence that she wanted to create something that felt "hot and steamy",also revealing that it was the first time she had explored a love story in one of her music videos. [41] As of May 2024,the music video sits on over 172.5 million views on YouTube.
The music video for the remix featuring Travis Scott premiered on 19 March 2024. [44] In the visual,Tyla sings her verse with Scott standing on the opposite sides of a wet foggy glass in a shadowy place,after which the rapper proceeds to deliver his verse with him and Tyla standing side by side. [45] [46] [47]
"Water" was first performed unreleased in Portugal in June 2023 at Afro Nation Portugal. [lower-alpha 1] Tyla also performed "Water" in August 2023 for Vevo's DSCVR program,a video series focused on spotlighting emerging artists. [51] She made her international television debut performing the song on The Bianca Show in Sweden in early October 2023,where she was also interviewed by the host. [4] She also performed the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in the United States later that month. [52] She performed a remix version of the song alongside DJ Black Coffee at a nightclub in Sandton in December 2023. [53] She performed the song in a medley with her follow-up single "Truth or Dare" during the finale of season 24 of American talent competition show The Voice later that month. [54] Tyla performed a medly of "On and On","Truth or Dare",and "Water" in Times Square during the 2024 Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve television special. [55] [56] [57]
Organization | Year | Category | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
BET Awards | 2024 | Viewer's Choice Award | Pending | [58] |
BRIT Awards | 2024 | International Song | Nominated | [59] |
Grammy Awards | 2024 | Best African Music Performance | Won | [60] |
iHeartRadio Music Awards | 2024 | Best Lyrics | Nominated | [61] |
TikTok Bop of the Year | Nominated | |||
Ivor Novello Awards | 2024 | Best Contemporary Song | Nominated | [62] |
Metro FM Music Awards | 2024 | Song of the Year | Nominated | [63] |
Best Music Video | Nominated | |||
Best Viral Challenge | Nominated | |||
Best R&B | Nominated |
Publication | List | Rank | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
BBC | The best songs of 2023 | 10 | [64] |
Billboard | The 100 Best Songs of 2023 | 18 | [65] |
Crack | The Top 25 Tracks of the Year | 25 | [66] |
The Hollywood Reporter | The 10 Best Songs of 2023 | 10 | [67] |
Los Angeles Times | The 100 best songs of 2023 | 32 | [68] |
NPR | The 123 Best Songs of 2023 | — | [69] |
Rolling Stone | The 100 Best Songs of 2023 | 68 | [70] |
The 40 Best Afropop Songs of 2023 | 1 | [71] | |
Variety | The Best Songs of 2023 | — | [72] |
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [130] | 3× Platinum | 210,000‡ |
Belgium (BEA) [131] | Platinum | 40,000‡ |
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [132] | 3× Platinum | 120,000‡ |
Canada (Music Canada) [133] | 2× Platinum | 160,000‡ |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [134] | Gold | 45,000‡ |
France (SNEP) [135] | Platinum | 200,000‡ |
Italy (FIMI) [136] | Gold | 50,000‡ |
New Zealand (RMNZ) [37] | 2× Platinum | 60,000‡ |
Poland (ZPAV) [137] | Gold | 25,000‡ |
Portugal (AFP) [138] | 2× Platinum | 20,000‡ |
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [139] | Gold | 30,000‡ |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [140] | 2× Platinum | 40,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [39] | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [141] | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000‡ |
Streaming | ||
Greece (IFPI Greece) [142] | Platinum | 2,000,000† |
Sweden (GLF) [143] | Gold | 4,000,000† |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Various | 28 July 2023 |
| [144] | |
Portugal | Epic | [103] | ||
United Kingdom |
| [39] | ||
United States | 3 October 2023 | Rhythmic contemporary |
| [20] |
Italy | 13 October 2023 | Contemporary hit radio | [22] | |
United States | 24 October 2023 | [21] |
"Fast Car" is the debut single by American singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman, released on April 6, 1988, by Elektra, as the lead single from her 1988 self-titled debut studio album. Chapman's appearance at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute concert in June 1988 helped the song become a top-ten hit in the United States, reaching number six on the Billboard Hot 100, and led the album to top the Billboard 200. The single also reached number five on the UK Singles Chart.
"Unwritten" is a song by English singer Natasha Bedingfield for her debut studio album of the same name. It was released on 29 November 2004 as the third single from the album. The song was written by Bedingfield, Danielle Brisebois, and Wayne Rodrigues and produced by Rodrigues and Brisebois. The single was released as the album's third UK single and second US single. In 2006, "Unwritten" became the theme song for the MTV reality television series The Hills. It reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming her first top-10 hit in the United States.
"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" is a Christmas song written by Johnny Marks and recorded by Brenda Lee in 1958; it has since been recorded by numerous other music artists. By the song's 50th anniversary in 2008, Lee's original version had sold over 15 million copies around the world with the 4th most digital downloads sold of any Christmas single. In 2019, Lee's recording of the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. In November 2023, Lee released a music video for the song, and in December 2023 the song topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, marking Lee's third number-one single and making Lee the oldest artist ever to top the Hot 100 at age 78, later breaking the record once again one week later at the age of 79. The song also set the record for the longest period of time between an original release and its topping the Hot 100, as well as the longest time between number-one singles by an artist: 63 years, one month and two weeks.
"Apologize" is a song written by Ryan Tedder, which first appeared on Timbaland's second studio album Shock Value (2007). It was then released as the third single from that album, along with the original recording by OneRepublic. It accordingly also served as the debut single for OneRepublic's debut album Dreaming Out Loud (2007), produced by Greg Wells. Timbaland's version omits the guitar solo after the second verse in the original, and includes an extra line of percussion, new backing vocals, and added sound samples, in addition to sound mixing and a few other minor changes. The song was the biggest radio airplay hit in the history of the Mainstream Top 40 chart in the United States, with 10,394 plays in one week, until its record was broken by Leona Lewis's "Bleeding Love", which was also co-written by Tedder. The song was a major hit internationally, reaching number one in 16 countries, including Australia, Austria, Canada, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Sweden, Turkey, and the Netherlands, as well as staying at number one for eight consecutive weeks on the Billboard Pop 100 chart. The song peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, staying in the top-10 for 25 weeks, and spent 13 weeks at number one in Canada.
"Set Fire to the Rain" is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter Adele for her second studio album, 21 (2011). The song was written by Adele and Fraser T. Smith while the production was handled by the latter. It became Adele's third consecutive US number-one single from 21 and reached the top ten in most of other foreign markets. It is a pop power ballad with lush instrumentation and a swelling string arrangement, in contrast to the understated production of most songs on the album. The song has received acclaim from various critics with many complimenting on Adele's vocals. "Set Fire to the Rain" was voted by readers of Billboard as their favorite number one hit of 2012. Though no official music video was released for the song, a live performance from the DVD Live at the Royal Albert Hall was uploaded to video-sharing website YouTube. This rendition won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards.
"Blank Space" is a song by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift and the second single from her fifth studio album, 1989 (2014). Swift wrote the song with its producers, Max Martin and Shellback. Inspired by the media scrutiny on Swift's love life that affected her girl-next-door reputation, "Blank Space" portrays a flirtatious woman with multiple romantic attachments. It is an electropop track with a minimal arrangement consisting of synthesizers, hip hop-influenced beats, and layered vocals.
The discography of American rapper and singer Post Malone consists of five studio albums, one mixtape, one compilation, and 43 singles. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), he has sold 13 million albums in the United States and 95 million digital singles, making him the eighth best-selling digital artist of all time. Malone was ranked by Billboard as the tenth top artist of the 2010s. On August 26, 2016, Malone released his debut mixtape, August 26.
"Girls Need Love" is a song by American singer Summer Walker from her debut commercial mixtape, Last Day of Summer (2018). It was released as the album's lead single on July 26, 2018. It received a remix version from Drake in February 2019, and then an extended play in October 2023 titled Girls Need Love (Girls Mix), with remixes from singers Victoria Monét, Tyla, and Tink.
"Cruel Summer" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her seventh studio album, Lover (2019). Swift and Jack Antonoff produced the song, and they wrote it with St. Vincent. "Cruel Summer" is a synth-pop, industrial pop, and electropop song composed of synths, wobbling beats, and vocoder-manipulated vocals. The lyrics are about an intense romance during a painful summer.
"Under the Influence" is a song by American singer Chris Brown. It is the third track on the extended edition of his ninth studio album Indigo, which was released on October 4, 2019, by RCA Records. The song was composed by Brown along with Nigerian singer Davido, producer Kiddominant and Tiffany Mckie. "Under the Influence" became a sleeper hit in 2022, becoming viral on the TikTok platform. Afterwards, it was officially released as a single, roughly three years following its original release.
"Woman" is a song by American rapper and singer Doja Cat from her third studio album Planet Her (2021). It has been described as a fusion of Afrobeats, pop, and R&B, with the lyrical themes of divine femininity and feminism. After gaining popularity in Europe, where it entered the top 10 in countries like Greece, France, Denmark, Switzerland, Lithuania and Portugal, the song impacted Italian radio airplay as the album's fourth single on October 1, 2021. It was sent to American mainstream and rhythmic contemporary radios on December 14, 2021. The song was a sleeper success, spending several months on the charts before slowly climbing to the top 10. For the chart dated May 7, 2022, the song reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100, nearly a year after it debuted. "Woman" received three nominations at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards including Record of the Year, Best Pop Solo Performance and Best Music Video.
"Shivers" is a song by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran, released through Asylum Records and Atlantic Records on 10 September 2021 as the second single from his fifth studio album, = (2021). "Shivers" entered atop the charts in the United Kingdom and Ireland, dethroning Sheeran's previous single "Bad Habits" after eleven consecutive weeks at the summit in both countries. The song also topped the charts in Austria, Germany, Sweden and Switzerland and peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100.
"Wait for U" is a song by American rapper Future featuring Canadian rapper Drake and Nigerian singer Tems. It was sent to rhythmic contemporary radio as the second single from Future's ninth studio album, I Never Liked You, on May 3, 2022.
"Calm Down" is a song by Nigerian singer Rema, from his debut studio album Rave & Roses (2022). It was released on 11 February 2022 through Jonzing World and Mavin as the album's second single. The song charted across Europe, reaching number one on the Belgian Ultratop 50, Dutch Top 40 and Dutch Single Top 100. In the United Kingdom, "Calm Down" peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart and spent 27 non-consecutive weeks in the top ten of the chart.
"Cuff It" is a song by American singer and songwriter Beyoncé from her seventh studio album, Renaissance (2022). It was released as a single after the album as a digital download, followed by a 7" vinyl release in 2023. The song was written and produced by Beyoncé, Nova Wav, Morten Ristorp, Raphael Saadiq and The-Dream, with additional writing by Nile Rodgers. The song contains an interpolation of "Ooo La La La", written by Teena Marie and Allen McGrier and performed by Teena Marie. It impacted rhythmic and urban contemporary radio in the United States on October 4, 2022.
"Lift Me Up" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna. It was released on October 28, 2022, by Westbury Road, Roc Nation, Def Jam, and Hollywood Records, as the lead single from the soundtrack album of the 2022 superhero film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The song marks Rihanna's first solo music output since her 2016 studio album, Anti. An R&B ballad, "Lift Me Up" was written by Rihanna, Nigerian singer Tems, Ryan Coogler, and produced by Ludwig Göransson.
Tyla Laura Seethal, known mononymously as Tyla, is a South African singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Johannesburg, she signed with Epic Records in 2021 following the domestic success of her 2019 debut single, "Getting Late". She has been dubbed the "Queen of Popiano", a fusion of the pop and amapiano genres.
Tyla is the debut studio album by South African singer Tyla. It was released on 22 March 2024 through Fax, and Epic Records. Capitalizing on her international breakthrough with its lead single "Water", the album features guest appearances from Kelvin Momo, Tems, Gunna, Skillibeng, Becky G, and Travis Scott. Sonically, it blends elements of amapiano, pop, afrobeats, and contemporary R&B and includes lyrical themes of empowerment and relationships.
"Truth or Dare" is a song by South African singer Tyla from her 2024 self-titled debut studio album. It was released through Fax and Epic Records as a promotional single alongside two other songs on 1 December 2023, before impacting rhythmic contemporary radio in the United States on 13 February 2024 as the album's second single.
"Jump" is a song by South African singer Tyla, American rapper Gunna and Jamaican rapper Skillibeng, from Tyla's 2024 self-titled debut album. It was written by the three artists, Ari PenSmith, Mocha, Believve, and its producer Sammy Soso. Fax and Epic Records sent the song to rhythmic radio stations in the United States on 14 May 2024 as the album's fourth single. "Jump" is genre fusion of afrobeats, dancehall and hip hop with elements of amapiano. In the song, Tyla declares her self-worth and references her hometown Johannesburg.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: postscript (link)