
Not Every Artist Who Has Not Won an International Award Is Unsuccessful
Tyla’s maiden Grammy win against some of the biggest music stars in the world was a joyous occasion met with applause from industry professionals and praise from public on the socials. At only 22, the “Water” hitmaker became the youngest African to win a Grammy, adding more to her ever-expanding tally of records. However, her win in Los Angeles has been one where a few eggs have been broken in the process.
With Tyla’s meteoric rise, there have been conversations and exchanges online reeking of resentment at the singer’s seemingly “sudden” successes. Some have even gone as far as alleging that she’s an industry plant. One of these allegations was thrown out into the open by polarising poet Ntsiki Mazwai.
In as much as the reigning winner of the Best African Music Performance award has scaled previously unchartered heights in the music scene, one thing that’s worth noticing is that Tyla is anything but an overnight success, let alone a handout baby.
Before her defining evolution with “Water”, she already had a solid hits under her belt, particularly “Getting Late”, alongside Kooldrink. Long before her magnum opus, her work was featured on the Netflix series Blood & Water, further giving her global reach. Coupled with her exotic build and Gen-Z appeal, she became a symbol of youthful sensuality, representing what the youth could be and being a voice of growing feminine influence. To brand her a plant, when her growth has been gradual is a bit of a shot at the dark.
Another conversation surrounding Tyla’s swift ascension came through a YoungstaCPT post on X. Although he didn’t mention names specifically, the SAMA-nominated rapper shared sentiments about the Coloured community, subliminally firing shots at Tyla’s achievement.
The “1000 Mistakes” rapper has had a different route to the top marked by years of dropping a string of mixtapes, which eventually culminated in him releasing his debut album 3T. His LP earned him praise for being a voice for the Cape as a collective and the Coloured community, winning him Album of the Year at the SA Hip Hop Awards and scoring him a SAMA nomination for Best Hip Hop Album.
His X post was met with unfavourable reception, with people panning his attitude.
The Grammy win stirred up similar conversations in various Twitter spaces, with one example being the Elaine-Shekhinah Fall Off debate.
Tyla popping in the international music village has spurred people to question what happened to Elaine and Shekhinah – two of South Africa’s most respected vocalists and songwriters. However, the manner in which these questions have been posed hints at the two singers being supposed failures for not reaching the same echelon as Tyla has.
Nothing could be more divorced from the truth than the idea that Elaine and Shekhinah have fallen.
Elaine broke through with her multi-plat single “You’re the One”, being named the most streamed South African woman artist on Spotify in 2020 thanks to her song. Moreover, the track was the most streamed Mzansi tune across all genres on the same DSP, surpassing the likes of “Jerusalema” and “eMcimbini”, which were arguably big songs during their time.
With her 2019 EP, Elements, she was nominated for a SAMA in the Best R&B/Soul Album category, despite her body of work not even being an actual LP. For her exploits, she attracted the eyes of Columbia Records, who took her under their stable, further cementing her place as one of the country’s finest R&B acts. Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the “Shine” star’s run was her being able to top such musical summits as an indie artist in today’s cutthroat climate.
Watch Elaine’s “You’re the One” here:
Shekhinah on the other hand has enjoyed a longer detour to the top, one that started with her being an Idols SA Top 6 contestant. The Pietermaritzburg singer dropped her debut album Rose Gold in 2017, which enjoyed wild commercial success, earning a platinum plaque from RiSA only a year in its release. Above the critical praise, it was supported by singles such as “Please Mr.” and the diamond-certified “Suited”.
During the 2018 SAMAs, Shekhinah dominated, walking away with coveted awards for Album of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, and Female Artist of the Year. Moreover, intentional recognition came through a nomination by the MTV European Music Awards for Best African Act in 2018.
Her sophomore album Trouble in Paradise (2021) was supported by the single “Fixate”, and earned her another SAMA for Best Pop Album the following year.
Watch Shekhinah’s “Suited”:
With the success that both Elaine and Shekhinah have had, it’s a wonder how their achievements have been so easily downplayed. Sure, they might have not touched a Grammy (yet), but their voices have been impactful, and they have without a doubt been instrumental in giving Mzansi pop and R&B a platform to be respected all around the world.
In truth, the likes of Elaine and Shekhinah and other unsung vocalists brought the sand and the sunshine, and Tyla came with the water. It’s only a shame that people only enjoy the water more when they go to the beach, overlooking the value of the sand and the sun in the experience.
Every artist in the industry has a different road, and some take longer than others. Some are met with gatekeepers whilst others hit a stroke of luck which catapults them to the top almost instantaneously. But each one has a worthy contribution, whether or not they reach Grammy or BET heights or they hit their ceiling at the SAMAs. From Elaine to Tyla, it’s a pantheon of successful musicians who are a daily reminder of the value of diligence and the power of chance when met with proper preparation and the right people.