is stepping into a new era and is not afraid to venture herself. The South African star returns to London with the neon explosion of her , in support of her new album, .

The O2 Academy Brixton was invaded by the nostalgic visuals of the 2000s from the moment the singer and her dancers stepped onto the stage with an impactful entrance, gradually being revealed to the audience as a curtain slowly went up, leading up to an unexpected drop. They were all dressed in iconic Y2K outfits with neon body paint.

Tyla decided to kick off the first of her two gigs in the city with , from her new album, with the audience dancing to the song’s beats, adding even more to the energetic vibe of the show.

The gig featured a large two-level structure on stage, bringing a raw and urban aesthetic. The singer and her dancers kept going between these two levels, adding great dynamism to the performance while also playing with their shadows projected onto a white screen positioned in front of them.

Three years after her breakout hit Water, which has amassed an impressive 1.4 billion streams on Spotify, the singer has established herself as one of Africa’s most influential artists and part of the new generation of global pop stars (she is only 24).

In this new era, Tyla is brave enough to venture into new rhythms, blending her already well-known amapiano sound with R&B, dancehall and house. Vibrant, sassy, and magnetic. The singer thus steps into this new chapter without leaving her essence and roots behind.

The highlight of the night came when she performed Water, long awaited by the fans who sang every word of the song. She used this great moment to invite a lucky fan onto the stage, who sang a few lines and danced by her side.

“So far this crowd has been the wildest. Honestly, you’re the loudest crowd I’ve come across,” she says.

This was the second time I had seen Tyla live, the first being in 2025, after her big breakthrough, when she was one of the attractions at East London’s All Points East festival. On that occasion, she could have simply made the show all about herself. But instead, she decided to invite several dancers onto the stage and turned the gig into a beautiful celebration of African music.

This time wasn’t much different. Tyla focused on delivering an inclusive performance, and the fan joining her on stage was the cherry on top. She also stepped down from the stage during the performance of MR. MEDIA to interact and dance with her fans, even handing the microphone over to them.

The setlist didn’t disappoint, as fan favourites , Truth or Dare, N, featuring Zara Larsson, and were part of it, with the last one featuring a treadmill on the ground level that added an unexpected twist to the choreography.

The star was also joined by six incredible dancers who definitely captivated the audience with their synchronisation and chemistry. Tyla brilliantly kept up with them dancing throughout the entire set.

The gig ended with the powerful hit , as the pop star once again celebrated her South African origins and left fans immersed in the sounds of Amapiano.

The UK leg of her world tour will continue with shows in Glasgow on October 18th and Manchester on October 19th, before performing across Europe, with dates in Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Norway and Denmark. The tour will then continue with several dates in the United States before concluding in her native South Africa on January 9th.