Grammy winner Tyla surprised passengers on the London Underground on Friday night by pole dancing and twerking, an impromptu performance ahead of the July 24 release of her new album, "APOP". The South African-born singer, 24, was seen dancing on public transport as she promoted her upcoming second studio album, which features singles such as "IS IT LOVE," "Game Time," and "SHE DID IT AGAIN."
A video of the performance circulated on TikTok, prompting humorous reactions from viewers who joked about hygiene and potential annoyance to regular commuters.
This public display comes as Tyla has previously spoken about overcoming challenges related to her background. In an interview with Vogue, she shared experiences of being bullied for her hair texture and skin tone at a predominantly white primary school in South Africa, which led to feelings of self-hatred before she found self-acceptance in high school. She has been vocal about her pride in her identity since then.
Tyla also addressed past criticism regarding her actions at the 2024 MTV Music Video Awards, where she handed her trophy to Lil Nas X. She explained that the award was heavy and she wanted to maintain focus on her acceptance speech. Fans had previously criticized her behavior, calling it "tacky" and suggesting she was not strong enough to hold the award for Best Afrobeats.
During that acceptance speech, Tyla highlighted the global impact of her hit song "Water," asserting that African music, while diverse, can also be pop music, and that it is inaccurate to group all African artists under the Afrobeats genre.