Enough With The Toxic Comparison: It’s Tyla And Bonang, Not Tyla Or Bonang
There’s been some noise on Twitter about Tyla’s superstardom that has caused a division of opinions after the massive turnout at her pop up shop in Johannesburg. One debate which has had the streets alight came in the shape of the opinion that the singer is “bigger” than the one and only Bonang Matheba. A take that sent X into a frenzy, with droves of people oddly agreeing.
But how true is this, once the record is set straight?
First things first, it’s Tyla and Bonang, not versus. The two women are undeniably among the most influential in their respective fields, and history-makers in their own rights. Their individual star power possess such uniqueness, that even if they were both in the same lane, they would’ve co-existed without pushing and shoving due to street-endorsed yet non-existent rivalry.
People who have selective amnesia must’ve forgotten the memo of what Bonang achieved last year alone when she strutted her stuff in Paris, France for L’Oreal’s Le Défilé Walk Your Worth, as the whole world looked on. Tracking back to 2013, Queen B etched her place among the greats of the modelling world when she became the only face of Revlon outside the USA, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Halle Berry and Emma Stone at the time. An unimaginable thing back then. Among other iconic firsts, she also became the first South African to launch and helm an online reality show with B*Dazzled in 2011.
More firsts include her being the first Black SA model to be on the cover of FHM Mag back in 2011, being the maiden local cover star for Glamour SA in 2014, and being the inaugural inductee of Africa’s first Walk of Fame in 2015.
Bonang Matheba
All of these are merely the tip of Bonang’s illustrious career, an iceberg of achievements that have all but paved the way for future Mzansi stars. Moreover, Bonang has committed herself to being a successful multi-hyphenate, with her reach spreading to radio, TV, as well as influencing in general. More than all this, B has leveraged her influence and turned it into equity, positioning herself as a brand in the global village.
Tyla on the other hand is in the dawn of her fast-blossoming career. A definer of history herself, she has already set numerous records, most notably being the first Grammy winner of the newly formed Best African Music Performance category for her global hit “Water”. On top of that, her critically acclaimed self-titled debut moved 24 000 units in the United States in its first-week run, making the project the highest-charting debut by an African female soloist in the Billboard 200 chart’s history.
A sensual crooner with an evocative pen, Tyla also possesses what has been seen as an exotic aesthetic due to her petite build, making her an optimal pop star for the youth as a whole. And with the overwhelming showing and support she received with her pop up shop in Jozi, there’s no denying that the singer-songwriter will go down as a cultural icon of her time.
Tyla
Comparing Tyla and Bonang, when both giants are in different eras of their careers and different fields, reeks of unhealthy comparison that stems from lack of understanding when it comes to the cultural impact of both stars. Their influence was never going to be the same, with one being a musician and a performer and the other a model and a personality. The truth of the matter is that there is nothing to compare between Tyla and Bonang.
The only common denominator is their diligence and groundbreaking stardom. But then again, there are many other superstars from Mzansi doing it big globally in the music circuit such as Black Coffee and Nasty C (though they are notably absent from this debate). The notion that Tyla is South Africa’s “first real celebrity” makes no sense because where does that place the others? The true nature of comparing Tyla and Bonang has nothing to do with who the real celeb is and who isn’t. It stems from the constant but malicious need to put down women by pitting them against each other when there isn’t a need at all.
Tyla deserves to receive her flowers in full, but that doesn’t mean we have to go to Bonang’s well-groomed garden to pick them and disrespect what she has taken a lifetime to grow and water.
Can we celebrate their successes without putting the other down?