Tyla Becomes First African Solo Artist to Hit 1 Billion Spotify Streams With ‘Water’

Tyla becomes the first African solo artist to hit one billion streams on Spotify with her 2023 breakout smash “Water,” Spotify confirmed Wednesday (Feb. 19).

“Water” was released as a single on July 28, 2023, via FAX and Epic Records ahead of her self-titled debut album last March. The song, which included official remixes featuring Travis Scott and Marshmello, peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, and went No. 1 on U.S. Afrobeats Songs (55 weeks), World Digital Song Sales (18 weeks), Dance/Mix Show Airplay (four weeks) and Rhythmic Airplay. “Water” also won the inaugural best African music performance award at the 2024 Grammys, and it’s picked up more awards at the Billboard Music Awards (top Afrobeats song) and MTV Video Music Awards (best Afrobeats video).

“We are incredibly proud of Tyla’s historic achievement,” said Phiona Okumu, head of music at Spotify in Africa, in a statement. “This milestone is a testament to her talent, hard work, and the power of music to transcend borders. Tyla’s success is an inspiration to aspiring artists across Africa and the world, and we are honored to have played a part in her journey.”

Tyla not only joins Spotify’s Billions Club, but the South African star joins an even more exclusive group of African artists who’ve reached this milestone. On Tuesday (Feb. 18), Spotify confirmed Tems was the first African female artist to hit one billion Spotify streams with Future‘s “Wait for U,” also featuring Drake. Drake’s 2016 chart-topping smash “One Dance,” featuring Wizkid and Kyla, became the first song to surpass 1 billion Spotify streams, making Wizkid the first African artist to achieve this feat. And in September 2023, Rema‘s “Calm Down,” featuring Selena Gomez on the remix, became the first African artist-led track to reach one billion Spotify streams.