Tyla may not have been alive during the original Y2K era, but she is more than capable of reviving the trend. While the “Water” singer is known for her distinctive South African-inspired sound, she has also honed a singular fashion sense.
The singer’s style can be defined, first and foremost, by its sexiness. Tyla has simply never met a cutout, animal print, or thigh-high slit she didn’t like. She’s quickly become a muse for designers, like with the Balmain sand sculpture (made of actual sand) she wore to the 2024 Met Gala or the mint green crystal netted Atelier Versace number she wore to her first Grammys—where she took home the award for Best African Music Performance.
But she’s also become a serious player in the vintage game, too. At the 2024 CFDA Awards, Tyla mixed old and new, wearing a black lace minidress from Tom Ford’s spring 1996 collection for Gucci with a pair of brat green hotpants underneath. And for the 2024 BET Awards, she wore a fall 2004 Versace dress that ticked all of her boxes: the black floor-length gown featured a hip-high slit, plunging cutout, and yellow animal print train. While she tends to stay away from direct references with her naughties style, Tyla did pay homage to Aaliyah with the blue tiger-striped Roberto Cavalli dress she wore to the MTV EMAs from the designer’s fall 2000 collection.
In honor of Tyla’s birthday, take a look back at some of the singer’s best looks to date.
