Tyla continues her tour of world domination, finishing at the top of Billboard’s US Afrobeats artist of the year rankings this week for the second year in a row, ahead of Nigerian superstars Burna Boy, Rema, Wizkid and Davido.
The South African megastar is in the middle of her WWP (We Wanna Party) Asia-Middle East tour, which this week took her from Mumbai via Bahrain to the Soundstorm Festival in Riyadh. Tonight she is back in Bahrain.
During her show for 60,000 people in Mumbai a week ago, Tyla drew widespread attention not only for her music but also for the exquisite sari-inspired outfit created for her by Indian designer Nancy Tyagi. The look quickly went viral, marking a significant moment for the 24-year-old designer, who has more than 3-million followers on Instagram.
Three pinned videos of Tyla posted on Tyagi’s Instagram have been viewed a combined 50-million times, and counting.
“I designed this sari for Tyla as a way of bringing two distinct visual languages into a single expression,” Tyagi told the Sunday Times. “Indian technique carries a deep emotional history, a sense of artistry, and I wanted that lineage to sit naturally beside Tyla’s bold, modern, self-assured style.
“The structure, the drape, and the detailing were all crafted by hand, built from the idea that culture needs no translation — allowing tradition to move freely with someone who defines her own aesthetic.”
The outfit came together quickly. “We developed three sketches that blended cultural elements with her personality, and we locked in this design almost immediately. The sari came together in a day, and because Tyla’s measurements were so precise, the first fitting was effortless. It fit her like a glove.”
Tyagi initiated the collaboration after Tyla’s team confirmed her appearance at the Indian Sneaker Festival in Mumbai. She contacted Tyla with the idea of creating a look rooted in Indian dress traditions.
When she tried the sari ... and it slipped on flawlessly, it felt like a moment suspended in time born from her generosity and belief in the vision
— Nancy Tyagi, Indian designer
“I reached out to Tyla earlier in the week with the wish to create something culturally rooted, something that felt like a small offering from India to her,” she said. “She received the idea with such grace and warmth. Her instinct to support young artists made everything unfold very naturally.
“When she tried the sari the next day and it slipped on flawlessly, it felt like a moment suspended in time born from her generosity and belief in the vision.”
The look went viral on social media, generating international discussion and positive feedback, particularly around Tyla’s use of traditional elements such as the drape of the sari and the bindi.
“I always had a sense that India’s love for Tyla, paired with a silhouette rooted in our cultural memory, would create a moment. There is a quiet power in seeing an international artist embrace something so intrinsic to who we are.”
Asked whether she would collaborate with Tyla again, Tyagi said she would jump at the opportunity. “I would be on the next flight,” she laughed.
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