Tyla Returns to Met Gala in Valentino, Announces Second Album 'A*POP'

Key facts

• Tyla attended her third Met Gala on May 5, 2026.
• She wore a Valentino dress with a plunging beaded bodice and teal skirt.
• Designer Alessandro Michele took inspiration from peacocks for the dress.
• Tyla's second album 'A*POP' is due for release on July 24 via Since '93 / RCA UK.
• The album includes singles 'Is It', 'Chanel', and 'She Did It Again' featuring Zara Larsson.
• Her debut album 'Tyla' made her the highest-charting African female solo artist in US album chart history.
• Tyla won the Grammy for Best African Music Performance for 'Push 2 Start' in February 2026.
• She described her rise to fame as 'insane' and said her life 'flipped on its head' after the song 'Water'.

A Shiny Peacock on the Red Carpet

Tyla arrived at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City for her third Met Gala wearing a Valentino dress that left little to the imagination. The plunging beaded bodice cascaded into a low-rise teal skirt, with hanging details shaped like feathers. In a red carpet interview, the singer revealed that designer Alessandro Michele drew inspiration from peacocks. 'I look like a shiny peacock today,' she joked, a fitting tribute to the museum's 'Costume Art' exhibit celebrating the body in its many forms.

From Debut to Second Album

Tyla's rise to global stardom began with her 2024 debut self-titled album, propelled by the smash hit 'Water'. That album made her the highest-charting African female solo artist in the history of the Billboard albums chart. Now, the double Grammy winner has announced her follow-up LP, titled 'A*POP', set for release on July 24 via Since '93 / RCA UK. The album will include her 2025 singles 'Is It' and 'Chanel', as well as the newly released 'She Did It Again', featuring Zara Larsson.

A More Confident Creative Process

Reflecting on the making of 'A*POP', Tyla told Rolling Stone in February that the process felt markedly different from her debut. 'I feel like the first album, it was very hectic, it was a rush. It was like, all of a sudden, overnight craziness,' she said. 'So now that I'm settled in, I feel like I know more about my direction and what I want to do, what I want to say.' She added that she initially wasn't sure what she wanted the album to sound like, but trusted that it would fall into place. 'I feel like I just did something really fresh and so Tyla,' she said.

Life After 'Water': A Rapid Ascent

Tyla credits the song 'Water' with transforming her life. 'That was insane,' she told E! News at Billboard's Women in Music event on April 29. 'My life literally flipped on its head. It was a lot of adjusting, you know? Because where I'm from in South Africa is very different to everything over here, so that moment changed my whole life, honestly.' The 24-year-old acknowledged that the rapid rise required on-the-job learning about the music industry. 'I just went with what feels good,' she said. 'And now I feel like I'm at a place where I'm really just having the most fun.'

Amapiano Goes Global

Tyla's success has been a key driver in bringing South Africa's amapiano music to an international audience. 'That thought is just too big to think about, honestly,' she said of her music's worldwide reach. 'Coming from literally the bottom of Africa and my music playing all over the world, it's like a dream for a lot of people. So, I'm just blessed.' Her music blends amapiano with pop, a fusion she always believed had broad appeal. 'The music that I make is a mixture of a lot of different things, and I always felt like it was big, like it was pop,' she said. 'So the fact that it's getting recognized that way is just amazing.'

What She Wants Fans to Feel

Tyla has specific hopes for how listeners will experience 'A*POP'. 'I want them to feel like they're in their bedroom alone in underwear,' she teased. 'Dancing in front of a mirror, loudspeakers or headphones—like that's exactly what I want them to feel.' The singer, who prefers staying home to clubbing, shared on the Miami on the Rocks podcast in 2024, 'I rather that than a club every weekend. I also love being at home and chilling. I'm not a gamer, but I like playing games.' Her new album, she says, is designed for that intimate, joyful setting.

A Growing Movement

Tyla's achievements are part of a broader surge in non-English pop music on global streaming platforms. In 2025, 16 different languages made Spotify's Global Top 50, a trend her success has helped accelerate. She also appeared on Cardi B's long-awaited second album 'Am I The Drama?', released last September. With her third Met Gala appearance, a new album on the horizon, and a growing international fanbase, Tyla is cementing her place as a defining artist of her generation—one who, as she put it, is 'just dancing to its tune.'

The bottom line

• Tyla's third Met Gala look, a Valentino dress inspired by peacocks, underscored her status as a rising fashion icon.
• Her second album 'A*POP' arrives July 24, following a debut that made her the highest-charting African female solo artist in US album history.
• Tyla credits the song 'Water' with catapulting her to fame, describing the experience as 'insane' and life-changing.
• She has become a key ambassador for South African amapiano music, helping it reach global audiences.
• Tyla aims for 'A*POP' to evoke a personal, joyful feeling, envisioning listeners dancing alone in their bedrooms.
• Her success reflects a broader trend of non-English pop music gaining traction on international streaming charts.