"Water" is a song by South African singer Tyla from her debut studio album Tyla (2024). It was released on 28 July 2023 through Fax and Epic Records as the lead single from the album. An amapiano song with elements of pop, R&B and afrobeats, it sees Tyla expressing a desire for a passionate and intimate tryst. Remix versions of the song featuring American rapper Travis Scott and record producer Marshmello were both released on 17 November 2023.
"Water" was produced by British record producer Sammy Soso.[1] Production of "Water" began in London and finished in Los Angeles, before being sent to songwriters in Atlanta, who recorded a vocal demo.[2] Tyla was captivated by the instrumental and recorded the song in Cape Town, South Africa.[3][4] She told Interview that after finishing the song, she had a deep conviction that the song was going to be successful, stating that she had a dream involving her "watching [her] Spotify streams climb by the second".[5] While "Water" was still unreleased, Tyla had begun performing it to warm reception whilst an opening act on the European leg of Chris Brown's Under the Influence Tour in early 2023.[6][7][8] She first teased the song on TikTok, sharing a snippet of the song and its accompanying dance challenge in July 2023.[9] Choreographed by South African dancer Lee-ché "Litchi" Janecke and inspired by the Bacardi dance style originating in Pretoria,[1][10] the dance involves shaking one's hips before pouring water down their own back in time to the song's chorus.[9][11] Originally intended for a different song that had a more fitting music genre for this dance style, Tyla insisted to Janecke that the choreography would work with "Water", and decided to add the water gesture as she believed it would help the song attain virality.[8]
Tyla released another teaser and revealed the song's release date via social media on 16 July 2023.[12][13] The song was then exclusively previewed on 21 July 2023 during an interview with the singer on Spotify's Mic Check podcast series after she was featured in the streaming platform's Radar program for emerging artists.[14] She revealed its cover art via social media on 25 July,[15] before it was officially released on 28 July 2023.[16][17] The song gained traction on TikTok in August 2023 after a video of Tyla doing the accompanying dance during a live performance went viral.[9] By mid-September, the song began surging in streams and videos featuring it on TikTok.[18] In the United States, it impacted rhythmic contemporary radio on 3 October,[19] and then contemporary hit radio on 24 October.[20] It also impacted radio in Europe during that month.[21] Originally planned to be the lead single off what would be the singer's debut EP,[3] it ended up being the first single off her debut studio album Tyla, following her international breakthrough.[22] Released on 17 November 2023, "Water" received two remix versions by American rapper and labelmate Travis Scott, as well as American record producer Marshmello, respectively.[23][24]
"Water" is a song that primarily blends pop and amapiano, described by the singer herself as "popiano".[1][3] It also features elements of R&B and afrobeats music.[25][9][26] The song is composed in 4 4 time and in the key of D♯ minor, with a moderately fast tempo of 117 beats per minute (BPM).[27] Tyla's vocals on the track span between the low note of G♯3 and the high note of C♯5, giving the song one octave and five tones of vocal range.[27] It is characterised by a prominent amapiano log drum, the singer's "euphonious"[17] vocals, and sensual melodies.[10]
With regards to the song's lyrics, the singer has described it as "kind of a naughty song"[4] and told Rolling Stone that "the meaning of the song is frisky: it's [her] letting a guy know, 'Show me what you got to offer. I'm done with all the talk.'"[3] She was inspired by songs that are indirect and make use of sexual innuendos, citing "Rock the Boat" by American singer Aaliyah as an example.[3] She also uses vivid imagery to express her desire for what Neon Music described as "an all-consuming, soul-stirring connection" involving romance and sex.[28][29] In the chorus to the song, Tyla sings a suggestive metaphor about becoming water, using figurative language to describe how she wants to feel.
"Water" first entered at number 37 on the Billboard US Afrobeats Songs on the chart dated 9 September 2023,[30] where it peaked at number 1[31] before debuting at number 67 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on the chart dated 14 October 2023, making Tyla the youngest-ever South African and the first South African soloist in over 55 years to enter the Hot 100, following Hugh Masekela's "Grazing in the Grass" in 1968,[32] It peaked at number 7 on the chart dated 13 January 2024,[33] making Tyla the highest-charting African female soloist ever on the Hot 100, surpassing Miriam Makeba's peak with "Pata Pata" at number 12 in 1968.[34] According to Luminate, in the tracking week of 22–28 March 2024, "Water" recorded 10.3 million streams in the United States only, a 17% increase over 8.8 million in the preceding period.[35] In terms of the final two measures that feed into the Hot R&B Songs chart, song sales and radio airplay, "Water" saw a 17% increase in download sales over that time and a 4% decrease in airplay audience across all formats with 2,000 downloads sold.[35] It also topped World Digital Song Sales,[36]Rhythmic Airplay and Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay charts in the United States.[37] "Water" peaked at number 15 in Canada,[38] where it was awarded double platinum certification from Music Canada,[39] and double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling two million units in the United States.[40] It was also certified Gold in Mexico by the Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas (AMPROFON).[41]
"Water" made its first-ever chart appearance on the Hot Singles Chart in New Zealand on the chart dated 21 August 2023,[42] where it eventually topped the NZ Singles Chart on 30 October,[43] and was certified double platinum by Recorded Music NZ in December.[44] In the United Kingdom, it first entered the UK Afrobeats Singles Chart at number 13 on 9 September 2023, before debuting at number 55 on the UK Singles Chart on the chart dated 21 September 2023, where it would peak at number 4 five weeks later.[45] It went on to reach number 1 on the Afrobeats chart[45] and the UK R&B Chart.[46] It was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry.[47]
The official music video for "Water" premiered on YouTube on 6 October 2023, where it accumulated 3 million views in three days.[48] Filmed in New York City,[49] the video was directed by child. with co-direction from Kwasi "C&P" Fordjour.[50][51] It features Tyla and friends preparing for a night out, before they attend a beachside party.[50] She performs the official "Water" choreography at the party, and then is seen dancing sensually with her love interest in a different scene towards the end of the video.[50][49] Tyla told Essence that she wanted to create something that felt "hot and steamy", also revealing that it was the first time she had explored a love story in one of her music videos.[49] As of August 2024, the music video sits on over 220 million views.
The music video for the remix featuring Travis Scott and directed by Nabil Elderkin premiered on 19 March 2024.[52][53] In the visual, Tyla sings her verse with Scott standing on the opposite sides of a wet foggy glass in a shadowy place, after which the rapper proceeds to deliver his verse with him and Tyla standing side by side.[54][55][56]
"Water" was first performed unreleased in Portugal in June 2023 at Afro Nation Portugal.[a] Tyla also performed "Water" in August 2023 for Vevo's DSCVR program, a video series focused on spotlighting emerging artists.[58] She made her international television debut performing the song on The Bianca Show in Sweden in early October 2023, where she was also interviewed by the host.[4] She also performed the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in the United States later that month.[59] She performed a remix version of the song alongside DJ Black Coffee at a nightclub in Sandton in December 2023.[60] She performed the song in a medley with her follow-up single "Truth or Dare" during the finale of season 24 of American talent competition show The Voice later that month.[61] Tyla performed a medly of "On and On", "Truth or Dare", and "Water" in Times Square during the 2024 Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve television special.[62][63][64]
^Source(s) does not go into detail on whether the song was unreleased or not during the Afro Nation festival.[2] This source states that the event was held on 29 June 2023,[57]Billboard says otherwise.
^Willman, Chris; Horowitz, Steven J. (28 December 2023). "The Best Songs of 2023". Variety. Archived from the original on 23 January 2024. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
^"Top Singles (Week 44, 2023)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Archived from the original on 6 November 2023. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 20244 into search. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 202345 into search. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
