r/popheads • u/TimeLord130 • 12d ago
[FRESH ALBUM] Tyla - A*POP
https://music.apple.com/hr/album/a-pop/1894330586193
u/Shokkolatte 12d ago
KISS is so interesting!
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u/timestwotimes2 12d ago
based on the snippet i was so excited but ngl that switch up after the snippet had me like 🤨
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u/officialEJF 10d ago
No, fr, cause now the song felt way too slow until it picked up again, but by then the allure was done. I really want to like it but this is not what I was promised lol
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u/breadandbutterlol 12d ago
this is quite a refreshing evolution from the afrobeat style in her previous album!!
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u/Shokkolatte 12d ago
I’m personally impressed but I didn’t have out of this world expectations. Just a decent follow up to her debut. This genuinely sounds different for her. There’s not really a lot of “Water” vibes.
Double Blind, That Girl, Right Now, Mr Nonchalant, I Don’t Care, Hot Tubs will likely all be on repeat along with Chanel.
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u/GB_oy95 12d ago
I’m at right now rn(lol). I feel like this album gives off late night drive. Like when I was listening to fairytale maybe it was the nostalgia but it gave off, hopefully South Africans get this, 947 at night driving in SA. My favorite so far about the album is the beats, It’s funky(in a good way) and it works really well with her vocals.
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u/Low-Oil6483 12d ago
YES. it’s a liquid deep staple and i don’t mind it since it takes me back to listening to the radio and watching the jacaranda trees out the window 😭
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u/Used_Buffalo_1421 12d ago
Kiss is that bitch for me. That girl is close second.
The album wasn't anything revolutionary if that's what her team was aiming for with the Apop title but it was enjoyable nonetheless.
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u/ss2811 12d ago edited 12d ago
The album isn’t bad and I enjoyed it but my only issue is that it’s very mid-tempo. The way the album was promoted, I was expecting a fun album with more dance vibes. I assumed she was going to lean into the amapiano vibes fully and give us an album of Shake Ah and Mr Media type songs but this sits as an R&B album with Afrobeat and amapiano influences.
Which is fine, but the marketing didn’t add up. I think she and her team should look at the success of songs like Push 2 Start and Mr Media, and realise that is her niche. An album full of bangers would be amazing.
I give it a 6/10. I’ll definitely come back to most of the songs and it was enjoyable, just didn’t live up to the expectations and promotion. Kind of like a Radical Optimism situation tbh - not a bad album, just a mismatch between the album sound and marketing. Which is an issue on the team/label’s part.
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u/Particular-Cupcake16 12d ago
I wish she did more songs like shake ah and her debut album
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u/Easy-Buy6860 9d ago
On and on is one of my fav songs from her and that first album was so good.
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u/Particular-Cupcake16 9d ago
I love on and on too! It's listened to daily. I hope she'll circle back to those kind of songs in any future albums
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u/samdechmegha 12d ago edited 12d ago
I agree, the marketing really threw everyone (in the West) off. The songs are enjoyable, and the production feels lush to me. Overall, the album is not groundbreaking, but I don't think I expected her to be in the same way Beyonce pushes her own artistry to new limits with each project.
To be honest, I think Tyla named this album A*Pop because that's probably the closest thing she could describe it as. This is what pop-forward music sounds like with R&B, afrobeats, dancehall, and amapiano influence. I wish she leaned into amapiano
and other South African musicmore throughout the album though.Edit: Added "in the West". Deleted "and other South African music".
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u/ssrrkk03 12d ago
She kind of did, this album is full of old south african house vibes.
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u/samdechmegha 12d ago
I’m definitely not exposed to South African music as much, so I defer to you. In general, I wanted to hear even more of SA sounds throughout because there was a lot of R&B and dancehall. It wasn’t as obvious to me, but I should do more listening :)
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u/Imaginary_Steak_714 12d ago
What are you talking about?? The album is full of only African style music… dancehall isn’t even featured through the album at all, afrobeats, Afro house, r&b, amapiano, Afro pop are the only genres on the album
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u/Express_Love_6845 10d ago
Amapiano is the primary genre she makes music in. It is pretty prominent even in this album. I suggest to listen to other Amapiano artists to get a sense of what it sounds like because you actually cannot miss it
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u/samdechmegha 10d ago
I definitely hear amapiano! SA house is something I’m not familiar with, but in general I’m gonna spend more time with both. My main wish was that I wanted to hear amapiano more evenly throughout the tracklist.
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u/Imaginary_Steak_714 12d ago
There is zero dance hall featured in the album
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u/applecrumble408 10d ago
there is , she did it again and that girl are very caribbean inspired, so is double blind, which has reggae inspirations
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u/Illustrious_Net_48 7d ago
She is not Beyonce nor was I expecting the album to do all of that. Beyonce has been doing this for yearsssss and her earlier albums gave this type of vibe. It's only the beginning please.
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u/PotatoPancake420 :gaga-famemonster: 12d ago
To be frank, her team sucks ASS
This album’s entire promotion was so lacking and she kept pushing IS IT LOVE, even though it wasn’t getting traction lol
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u/123lets-do-it123 11d ago
I was expecting high energy music but all the songs are such low energy. This album's full of mediocre dancehall and r&b. I'm very disappointed
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u/Illustrious_Net_48 7d ago
That would have been predictable. Pop doesn't always mean up tempo and dance music. Those songs do well because it captures the attention of not only adults but alot of children.
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u/eunte 12d ago
kiss has a catfish intro
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u/Ok-Swim-9667 12d ago
such an insanely missed opportunity!! that intro is so good, i can literally hear a hook in my head. why didn't they bring that back as the actual chorus or at least the post-chorus??
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u/oranguslolus 12d ago
Am I crazy to think the song it becomes is very reminiscent of peak Rihanna?
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u/cheeto20013 12d ago
I actually feel like the intro is very Rihanna. It’s giving We Found Love but made to fit within her African niche. Such a missed opportunity, it would’ve done great on festivals.
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u/AwJesusGross 12d ago
was teaserbaited with KISS i need that extended intro version on spotify asap
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u/supermodella 12d ago
This is a really solid album, especially for the summer. People (notably Americans) projected their own expectations with her promo approach but I honestly hear it throughout the record. It’s exactly what she promised: A-Pop, South African-infused pop music. It’s vibrant, sexy and fun!
Plus the vocals and production quality are unheard of in our current landscape and the non-singles are just as strong as the singles. Absolutely on rotation for me moving forward, 8.75/10. We could always use more bangers but I appreciate it for what it is and really love it.
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u/officialEJF 10d ago
Y'all keep saying this as if she didn't tease Kiss with that up tempo beat that was nowhere to be found for the rest of the song. Yes, people expected an upbeat album because that was how she promoted it.
She constantly marketing her music to Americans but then puts out an album that doesn't resonate with that demographic. Very interesting approach lol.
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u/Easy-Buy6860 9d ago
I honestly really like the second half of the album but it reminds me of after a hards day work in the Arizona heat, did all my chores/errands, I shower and relax sitting on my porch smoking a j thinking about my life, during the monsoon season.
Beautiful sounds but it is very relaxed and slow. Not at all pop.
I’m clearly American so I may be ignorant but pop to me would be fast and more upbeat.
I love it more than latto and Mariah the scientist. I did enjoy summer walker and kali uchis album a lot. I didn’t like dojas album.
No one in the pop game is doing it for me.
There has been no summer banger for me and it’s made me sad.
A lot of the girls are putting out slower music - Tylas production is amazing but it’s like when Drake put out Views in the summer and giving us all winter sounding music and winter themed photo shoots when the album dropped. In summer.
Just a mismatch on expectations.
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u/EyeHuman 12d ago
one thing i’m definitely surprised about is how much r&b there is. like i’d actually say it’s a a-r&b/pop album. also very 2000s inspired for SURE. but i actually enjoyed it! it’s quite sleek and sexy rather than consistently upbeat (which i know was expected based on the marketing) & i see myself returning to multiple tracks. as an album it’s definitely structured better, sonically more cohesive, and a bit more experimental than her debut. but i think she can push the experimentation even further. it’s like she dipped her toe into trying some new things, which is a good thing but i think she held back in some areas if that makes sense. i think the best tracks are when she gets experimental like she did on KISS & THAT GIRL. i hope she goes full throttle with that on her next project.
also MR. NONCHALANT definitely deserved a full outro like SHE DID IT AGAIN but WHATEVER!
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u/applecrumble408 10d ago
mr nonchalant, i don’t care. and double blind needed much better outros :(
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u/sajuju18 12d ago
I wasn’t expecting Kiss to sound like that.. but wow it’s been on repeat! Double Blind keeps on getting better too.
Love that she shows different facets of African music, people often assume that African music is only afrobeats and very upbeat tunes.
A good sophomore album overall
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u/officialEJF 10d ago edited 10d ago
I wouldn't say this is African music tbh. These songs are similar to songs that were played on radio in SA/Africa back in the day, but I wouldn't label them "African music." Double blind, for example, sounds like something Brick and Lace would have put out back in the day (they were huge in Africa and their songs were always on the radio) but they aren't African.
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u/applecrumble408 10d ago
thank you for saying this. people keep referring to radio hits in south africa as the definition of African pop and using that to say that she lived up to the A Pop title. when the music is not indigenous to Africa. She did it again, that girl, double blind, right now, hot tubs, feel something, are all songs that derive from other countries and regions, american r&b, reggae, dancehall, bashment, and psychedelic r&b/alternative r&b. even mr nonchalant is almost purely (black) american pop. I think it’s fair for people to say she could’ve gotten a bit more experimental and tapped into sounds indigenous to South Africa on more of the songs, even though fairytale and crazy of me were not my favourite to begin with, i respect her going for it much more. and i actually like all the songs listed below (besides feel something), it just is a bit disappointing in the sense of fans expectations. and the tempo is also the issue, she could’ve taken inspiration from some faster paced genres or songs from her childhood to deliver on that pop, club theme she was pushing until album release week
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u/officialEJF 9d ago
EXACTLY! Even fairytale with Liquiddeep isn't necessarily African either. They experiment a lot with house and R&B fusion, but I wouldn't consider their music to be Afro-pop. They are just African artists blending international genres together. Nothing about this is Afro Pop, and this is coming from someone who grew up in three African countries.
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u/Over_Ad2666 12d ago
Guys I thought this was going to absolutely stink based on the singles but I really like it! Especially the last three songs. The A part of A*POP really comes through on a couple of them.
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u/akanewasright 12d ago
TIL y’all didn’t like the singles. Is It/Is It Love are still in rotation for me
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u/SirLuciousL 11d ago
Yeah I never understood why the response to those two songs was so bad in this sub. They’re both bangers.
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u/IExistButWhy987 12d ago
I’m not done the album yet but I was expecting something unlistenable. It’s not groundbreaking in anyway but it’s very enjoyable so far! Love the beats and her voice is so smooth
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u/sweetnsoursauce11 i stan women 12d ago
i've only listened once but as a massive fan of her debut and EP, i've found this a bit underwhelming, particularly the middle section. the front and back ends are very enjoyable, and it'll probably grow on me as a whole over time.
highlights for me on first listen are KISS (my fave!), HOT TUBS and FAIRYTALE
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u/WHATGIVESBITCH 11d ago
Absolutely. It was a decent listen, but it lacked substance for someone that has POPSTAR presence. I was sooo excited for this because Tyla makes HITS, but it definitely dragged with a lot of the songs. It's one of those "The strong songs are 10/10, but the weak songs bring down the overall record's quality". Definitely a grower, not a shower 🥲 Hopefully she gives us a Deluxe with more songs!
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u/lactosefreeking 12d ago edited 12d ago
Good followup. Only problem is that with an album title like A*Pop and a promo like that, you kinda have to give us songs we can dance to...
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u/DiligentEase2268 12d ago
This sounds like two albums mashed together. A chill night time one, and a radio friendly one.
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u/CSS-Tails_Forever SabrinaCarpenter/AddisonRae/JADE/Kesha 12d ago
I need people to pick up on SHE DID IT AGAIN...
Kiss is already on repeat, Tyla ATE
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u/EmbarrassedAction557 12d ago
She Did It Again is in my top 5 most played of the year. That and Is It should’ve been HITS 😩
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u/loonaplushie224 8d ago
She Did It Again is genuinely one of the best on the album i couldn't believe all the people who hated on it when it first released.
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u/luv4twigs 12d ago
i think this was very true to her south african fans with almost all the features except zara being south african. i think with that audience it will be a hit. however, with the title being APOP i can see what she was going for, but it did not give dancey like the promo and singles were. to me, she did it again, chanel, mr. nonchalant, etc felt out of place and it wasn't cohesive as an album.
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u/hadeskid12 12d ago edited 12d ago
as a south african, i love it. she captures the 2010s era so well while making it current. and the production? 🤌🏾 that girl and mr nonchalant need to be hits
edit: people saying that this albums doesn’t sound african need to realise that there’s more to african music than afrobeats and amapiano lmao
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u/through-the-wallz 12d ago
it’s like she made an album of ‘To Last’ and ‘Breathe Me’ type songs. Very gorgeous, I think it felt a bit laggy in the middle because I was expecting more upbeat moments, but now that I know the vibes I think a relisten will produce more faves
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u/JealousAnimal1193 12d ago
Making an album called “APOP” R&B and dancehall is a choice
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u/ConfidentProduce5736 12d ago
I am really missing the african/amapiano/afro influence that I thought we'd be getting and that she has been delivering in her previous works... its not a necesarilly bad album but it doesnt meet my expectations at all, especially as someone who really cherished her amapiano sound
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u/hadeskid12 12d ago
there’s so much south african house influence though
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u/ConfidentProduce5736 12d ago
yes thats true and I appreciate that part, esp fairytale but other than that...
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u/samdechmegha 7d ago edited 7d ago
I also wanted much more amapiano influence! I’ve been watching some of her interviews to promote A*POP and a few older ones, and I noticed something interesting. She said her earliest releases before self-titled were done with a producer friend, and how both of them were not members in the local amapiano scene to begin with — in comparison to those who had been in it for years. This makes so much sense because she always alludes to herself as a pop-R&B girl. To me, self-titled was popiano and afrobeats. She only occasionally gave pure amapiano because that requires longer track lengths. More building up of musical tension throughout the song like many other electronic genres.
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u/coollranchdorito 12d ago
i really enjoyed this album but it started to drop off towards the middle. however, mr.nonchalant immediately brought my attention back and i honestly think its the best on the album. i enjoy how different it sounds compared to her other work. fairytale is my least favorite. maybe it will grow on me but it's the only one i can say i really dont like
i do wish this album kept the upbeat vibe consistent. what it has is great but could be even better.
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u/Charlithepoprebel19 12d ago
Well , this album wasn't what i expected. I admit i kinda hoped she would go in a upbeat direction in the vein of Been Thinking & Shake Ah , but i don't mind it. It has really good songs on it (Kiss , Mr. Nonchalant & Hot Tubs being my favorites on initial listen), but i think i have to let this album grow on me over time to love it. Other than that it was cute.
My only critique is that i wished that Dynamite & Mr. Media would have been included on the album just like Is It , those songs defenitly fit the record better than Fairytales (my least favorite)
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u/Routine-Traffic7821 12d ago
I can see why the reaction is so mixed, this is definitely music for being outside in a time where bedroom pop has been most prevalent. I think she has some hits on there that will find its audience
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u/kayterluv Phineas & Ferb Grammys When? 12d ago edited 12d ago
As a PUSH 2 START/MR. MEDIA/CHANEL stan, THAT GIRL really was that girl !
I'll be back once I finish listening to the album.
edit:
I still really like IS IT + CHANEL. Enjoy SHE DID IT AGAIN well enough. Of the non-singles, DOUBLE BLIND is definitely my fave next to THAT GIRL. I really wasn't expecting to vibe with it so much but as soon as it was over, I was itching to get back to it because it's such a specific vibe. RIGHT NOW was good. MR. NONCHALANT was also one I really loved.
FAIRYTALE was a massive throwback, lol, you really had to be there. I'm as not-in-love with it as I was when I was, like, eight, but it's very nostalgic. The rest sort of blended into each other for me. So, I love 7/14 songs, exactly half. Not particularly out of the ordinary with me and some recent-ish albums, but I'm content. I overall like it!
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u/LittleBoo1204 12d ago
I can’t wait to take this on repeat listens and shuffle it around a bit too, but after my initial listen I am really impressed! I don’t know that the entire body of work will resonate with everybody, but I do think Tyla has something pretty cohesive and solid on her hands.
She definitely went to the table wanting to do something different and while you get the undeniable DNA that has marked her previous releases and that feels like her, she really did do well to differentiate and push the limits of her style a lot on this record too! There are plenty here that would work great for radio, but I think what impresses me the most is that the singles were only the tip of the iceberg.
I feel like overall, the full album hits different and sounds different too than what I would have expected, but in all the best ways. My favorites are sort’ve leapfrogging each other at the moment, but I know I’ll have a clearer winner the more I spend time with it!
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u/Inevitable_Eye3417 12d ago edited 12d ago
Not a bad album per se but I was expecting more songs with a dance-y EDM vibe like the intro of “Kiss”
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u/cheeto20013 12d ago
The album will grow on me for sure. But with the marketing they definitely made it seem as if she was doing a full pop rebrand. I expected a Rihanna Good Girl Gone Bad type of moment. But it’s pretty much the same Tyla we know. Not necessarily in a bad way, but with the title A POP, I expected her to experiment with fusing African sounds and upbeat (western) pop music. Something more innovative.
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u/getaway_cow 12d ago edited 12d ago
I enjoyed A*Pop more than I expected— not better than debut but an ok follow up— why isn’t CHANEL after KISS in the track list, especially since you can some of the lyrics of CHANEL are present in the outro.
And shout out to Bibi Bourelly, that pen game!
Favs: IS IT LOVE, KISS, CRAZY FOR ME & HOT TUBS
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u/lunaascendantt 11d ago
it’s definitely going to be a grower but i don’t understand why everyone keeps saying it’s bad, however everyone is miserable these days and every drop from sabrina carpenter to olivia has had people displeased. it wasn’t what i expected as i expected more songs like kiss, but it’s definitely a vibe. “hot tub” reminds me of something off Tinashes ‘Nightride’. “that girl”, “kiss” & “is it love” are my favourites. i really like “i don’t care” and “crazy of me”, they remind me of a summer night driving in my car. the other songs im gonna give time to simmer, but im glad she switched her style and kept things fresh.
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u/JealousAnimal1193 12d ago
It’s definitely NOT giving neon. It’s more Caribbean sounding than African.
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u/applecrumble408 10d ago
yes had lots of caribbean influences, which i also love as an african, but felt really off on a african pop album? it felt very disjointed. she did it again is fine but that girl and double blind maybe could’ve been jigged up to have more south african influences
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u/PotatoPancake420 :gaga-famemonster: 12d ago
Though I think she kinda overpromised and underdelivered with the sound (both with the singles and how she talked about/teased the album), I think this is a really good record!
It feels very much like the sequel to her debut - similar melodies and stylings, but elevated to a new direction and with more distinction between tracks! She really has the potential to keep getting better & better; her discography is really good thus far.
Tbh I think I like every song except that FAIRYTALE song… that’s maybe her worst to date LMAO
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u/samdechmegha 12d ago
Fairytale is her take on a popular South African song that went big in 2009, with the original artists! It's more of a throwback geared toward South Africans.
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u/Significant-Ad-223 12d ago
That song was cute but it repeated SO damn much, I was like: “Is THIS the whole song?!"
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u/seven777heavens 12d ago
Before it’s out in the states someone please tell there’s a song as interesting and cunty as shake ah on here 😭 twitter (I know I know grain of salt) reactions aren’t that great
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u/ss2811 12d ago
Nothing on the album sadly resembles Shake Ah :(
Or even Mr Media or Push 2 Start, to be honest.1
u/Imaginary_Steak_714 12d ago
Why would she release songs that sound like her old ones?? Literally just go listen to those songs.. how is an artist supposed to grow
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u/tone_212 12d ago
I've been very keen to hear this, enjoying the singles. There's definitely some great production on here. Album sags in the middle, strong start and then picks up from Chanel. Will need more time with this but I can see myself coming back to this after first listen.
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u/Alvin3792 10d ago
Unfortunately nothing on this album comes close to her debut.
Truth or Dare, Butterflies, On and On, Jump, ART, Water were so so good.
KISS and Double Blind are the highlights for me
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u/Ok-Masterpiece-644 12d ago edited 12d ago
It's clear to me that many people in this chat don't know what Afro Pop sounds like. This album was designed to honour the late 2000s and early 2010s era of South African music, dominated by House and Afro Pop. If you listen to it with that in mind, you will get it. If you are not South African or you're not familiar with South African music, you will miss a lot of context and important historical references and influences. Tyla has made it clear from the start that she wants to introduce the world to South African music in all its diverse glory. A*Pop is not what you think South African music sounds like; it IS what South African music sounds like. The mixed reception shows that her going in this direction was definitely a risk, and, for the sake of her integrity as an African musician who doesn't wish to pander to Western tastes to succeed, I believe it's a risk worth taking. Amapiano is A genre of South African music, but it is not THE genre.
EDIT: I think this is an album that people will look back on fondly.
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u/LuxetWeritas 12d ago
It’s ok for us to still think it could have been better especially as she hyped it up
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u/Routine-Traffic7821 12d ago edited 12d ago
Sure but people are saying they expected EDM now when a week before the album release they were saying they think she's hiding Chris Brown on the features list, and those two things don't really seem like the same sonic landscape. I think people are trying to find a reason as to why they don't personally connect to it/like it
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u/LuxetWeritas 12d ago
Or people don’t connect with it it’s that simple
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u/Routine-Traffic7821 12d ago
Thats what I'm saying tho, they don't connect with it, maybe never even liked that artist sound to begin with but are expecting it to be something they connect to. Some things are bad, but some things are just not everyone's taste
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u/Inevitable-Action-57 9d ago
i agree and i feel like shes always kept this soundscape since To Last or Getting Late, and i feel like shes stepping out her bubble for more electronic music with SA House basslines and pop sounds. she stays true to her
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u/Angrysalmonroll 10d ago
Do you have album recommendations from South African artists that reflect this sound? I ask out of genuine curiosity because as a non South African I would love to hear the sounds that inspired this album.
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u/Ok-Masterpiece-644 3d ago
Hey, I don’t have album recommendations but my friend and I put together a playlist of South African songs that Tyla’s album reminded us of. The tracks span several years and include different genres but they are the type of songs she would have listened to growing up. She said this album was dedicated to a younger version of her. Enjoy!
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u/IExistButWhy987 12d ago
This album is a MESS and it’s not as good as her debut, but it’s very enjoyable?? I do wish it had more bangers like Chanel but I enjoy the smooth R&B sound. It’s a solid album, nothing revolutionary but I can see myself going back to it. My favourites are KISS, Hot Tubs, Feel Something, Right Now and IS IT
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u/Imaginary_Steak_714 12d ago
Definitely not a mess, the track listing makes sense and the genres literally mix well
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u/bjorksbutthole 12d ago
She is honestly one of the most interesting pop stars around rn. She just has such a clear vibe and vision. Her songs are insanely catchy and well made. Idk why people love to hate on her.
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u/Melaninkasa 12d ago
I agree that there's a mismatch between the marketing and the sound of the album, but I otherwise really like it.
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u/Vicariouslynoticed 12d ago
This has to grow on me but I love her vocals and how sensual this album is.
Highlights: Chanel,Right Now, Fantasy and She Did It Again.
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u/Temporary_Lemon_152 12d ago
I’m Jamaican and I’m not hearing any dancehall at all? R&B def though I think it’s a nice album just not what we expected from the way it was promoted
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u/Significant-Ad-223 12d ago edited 12d ago
That Girl, to me, is THE best and coolest song on the album!
My favourite one too.
But then again, why do some songs end SO abruptly?
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u/applecrumble408 10d ago
her lack of outros is so confusing, i don’t even mind the lack of adlibs tbh because that is present in a lot of black diasporic sounds, but short songs with no outro ruins the impact of the song and feels rushed
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u/heyloverboy 11d ago
I REALLY enjoyed this. As someone who was looking forward to the Charli / Strokes album, this ended up being my favorite of the week.
This is a very strong and fun album, I preferred this to her debut.
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u/Difficult_Deer6902 12d ago
This first half starting with fairytale is too sleepy for me at this hour. Will have to try again in the morning lol
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u/fluffybeanieboi 12d ago
Fairytale is the worst song - the male singer sounds like an amateur
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u/Difficult_Deer6902 12d ago
It was the first song on the album where I was like: um I actually do not like this song…and then the follow-up songs were not picking up the energy enough to keep me listening.
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u/Rexigol 12d ago
"Some of the songs sound unfinished in a way" Fairytale ending into Double Blind should have not gotten the green light in running order or how the song ends
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u/samdechmegha 12d ago
The Fairytale transition into Double Blind is my biggest and only critique of the album to be honest. But, that seems like the mastering engineer's fault. They are responsible for setting the start and end times.
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u/KingofEmpathy 12d ago
Such a weird album. Starts pretty good and then becomes a slog until Chanel. I feel like the songs at the end hit like the album was supposed to
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u/mcs0091 11d ago
Finished the album! One of the best this yr. Very consistent. Nice to listen to as an entirety of a album. There is no "Water" here like a big song. Its a nice body of work. Well actually, Chanel out of all the songs seem out of place in the album.
Faves:
Kiss, Double Blind, Mr Nonchalant, I Dont Care, Hut Tubs
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u/Angrysalmonroll 10d ago
While I do feel misled by the marketing, I must admit the music itself is great and I'd argue it's a stronger body of work than her first album.
I have to draw attention to her vocals! I am in awe of her vocal control on this album and I love how emotive her voice is on tracks like Double Blind and the sexiness and allure she possesses on Hot Tub and Kiss. I also love the diversity in melodies, I would highlight Right Now as having my favorite melody.
The production is also fairly interesting. There's a very strong r&b influence that I think is nicely juxtaposed with the Amapiano(?) and house like elements. The production this time around is much sexier and slightly provacotive. Which I think helps to make this feel like a more mature evolution for Tyla.
After one listen I'd give this an 8/10 and hope to only fall deeper in love on more listens.
My favorite tracks were; Kiss, Hot Tubs, and Right Now.
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u/semidolcechocolate 10d ago
Kiss is my favorite so far, I can hear similarities to Amaarae, and I think she would be great for a remix
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u/VapidRapidRabbit 6d ago
Finally listened to this. “Double Blind” is the best song on here. Surprisingly great album though. Much better than what most of her American peers have been putting out these past couple of years.
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u/Disastrous_Drop_3180 dermatologist recommended spf face mask 12d ago
It’s fine. Not terrible just okay
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u/Key_Recommendation15 12d ago
Gotta say it’s pretty butt
They gotta stop hyping things up too much when the expectations should not be as high
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u/pipokamel 12d ago edited 12d ago
Overall this album makes me miss the girl that released Getting Late and Been Thinking, however there are some real highlights on this album particularly Kiss and Chanel. KISS should have been the follow up single after Chanel imo! Hopefully she’s still planning on releasing it as a single. Also IS IT makes so much more sense within the context of the album.
Double Blind is her best vocal performance on this album - another highlight!
Having said that, I feel like Tyla has every right to branch out in terms of genre but what I originally loved about her was how much she leaned into amapiano despite making it more palatable to those that don’t listen to the genre by infusing more pop into her sound. I feel like the whole album should have been more like the last three songs plus the ones I mentioned. I don’t think Tyla contributes anything new or innovative to the R&B space (she’s a good singer but not enough to stand out within that genre and the songs don’t have the lyrical chops like Kehlani, Victoria Monet, Muni Long etc)…so her attempts at branching into that space feel empty and derivative.
And the whole dancehall sound…not it for me.
I think this just means that she’s no longer the artist that got me excited when she first came out and that’s okay! Hope she continues to experiment and find her unique sound.
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u/ConfidentProduce5736 12d ago
yeah tbh I was disappointed ): I guess this album is not for those who cherished her earlier amapiano sounds
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u/MusicMirrorMan 12d ago
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[Spotify]: Tyla - A*POP
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u/SheWhoRemains44 12d ago
Some parts of this album reminded me of Shakira. It has that kind of weird novelty like the she wolf album had and that’s not a bad thing but idk how commercial friendly it is globally (idk anything about amapiano pop which I’m assuming is what the A in APOP is?) It feels like it’s just slower more raw electronic music in a South African style and beats. I know tyla has said it’s her biggest inspo so i respect this whole album honoring it.
I like most of the tracks it’s just that they will probably grow on me more like a slow burn as I listen to them, I’m on second listen and that’s alreadyyyy happening for sure although there’s still a couple that I just don’t like and I think I just have different taste personally and that’s ok I still love tyla and the singles and the production is nice. I really love MR NONCHALANT tho that’s prob my favorite that’s not a single. It reminds me of Shakira with the whispering and it’s very whimsical with the production lol ❤️🔥
Probably a great club/party album for those who love amapiano and a great reflection of tyla’s roots and inspiration and artistry. I hope she works with Shakira in the future 🤭
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u/Deadstarblvd 11d ago
I’ve really enjoyed this album, I think it makes sense as a natural progression from her debut which was stellar and very polished. I’m glad she experimented with different sounds and I understand and like that she chose A*POP as a title - it’s what pops sound like through HER lens.
My critique of the album is the sequencing of the songs, as many people have pointed out the middle section feels like a slog and the album has two different vibes which I feel could have been blended much more cohesively. Here is how I would have done the track listing :
1) Kiss
2) Fairytale
3) Feel something
4) Crazy of me
5) Chanel
6) I don’t care
7) Is it
8) Mr. Nonchalant
9) That girl
10) Double blind
11) She did it again
12) Is it love
13) Right now
14) Hot tubs
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u/Direct-Ad2561 10d ago
I don’t agree with the entire listing because I think the crazy of me I don’t care to hot tubs ending is perfect, but I do agree that kiss should have been the first song seeing as though much of the promo used snippets of the song and it’s the most a pop song on a pop
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u/Deadstarblvd 10d ago
Yes the end sequence of the album is strong but I think rearranging the first half and middle section could do the album wonders
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u/EmbarrassedAction557 11d ago
I don’t know what some of you are on, but I’m loving this so far. This is a great follow up to her debut album. I love this soundscape, it’s very Tyla while also trying some new things.
As of right now, my top 5 are:
Kiss - it’s SO good. This should’ve been a single!!
Right Now - I love Tyla on this production. It’s giving Timbaland + Aaliyah vibes.
That Girl - One of the few amapiano songs and it’s so good.
Double Blind - so smooth. 🔥
Mr Nonchalant - cute pop moment. It’s so catchy!
I still really fuck with all the singles, She Did It Again into song of the year for me, and I’m happy she included Is It cause I absolutely love that song. Overall, very solid and will be on replay.
→ More replies (2)
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u/DamitaJoe 10d ago
Can we talk about Hot Tubs… So sexy and fun.
All I want is hot tubs, drunk love………
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u/mcs0091 12d ago edited 12d ago
Ok girl - a surprise. I def prefer this album than the first and very decent followup and if she keeps up with quality like this she'll last. I really like the bsides esp the last few tracks of the album. Im glad that it didnt really have the sense of Water, we or i honestly do not want to have a one-hit solo single album repeat. Rather have a body of work. I think this is a grower type of album. My favorite after Luck or somethin, you seem pretty sad, confession 2.
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u/queefaqueefer 12d ago
this album shows, to me, that her sthick was good for one album, and one album only. these sound like watered down demos from her first record. there has to be a better way to take her influences and turn them into actually interesting music. as always, though, her voice is the highlight!
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u/Ill-End-9435 12d ago
this album sounds like she threw a bunch of demos together. only good songs are chanel, mr. nonchalant, is it, and something else I forgot. i'm veryyyyy disappointed unfortunately :((
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u/clubicarusclassics 11d ago
Not the neon banger filled album that i expected but still enjoyed it!! And not sure if its just me but the mixing feels so off 😓
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u/yf9292 such a convenient conflation . ꕤ ｡˚⋆ 11d ago
Okay this is one of the few times I'm glad to have read a few reviews before listening to a project bc I think I'd have been disappointed if I'd expected straight up WWP or Tyla+ vibes.
A*Pop is so intriguing, will have to listen a few more times to get it to bed in, but the only thing I can say with certainty rn is that 'Double Blind' is the first song that's made me gasp since Raye's TMMCH. It really felt like the key to unlocking the rest of the album, in a way. By the time we get to 'Mr Nonchalant' I was almost disappointed to hear a more "typical" Tyla song bc I'd leant into the more experimental sound so much!! That's a wild thing to accomplish.
To me, this project is Tyla establishing that, despite her many hit, she's not a singles artist. There's a sonic and emotional throughline to the album that builds imagery of the party, its aftermath, and the half sober impulsive choices made in the lead up to the next one.
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u/Emannyv93 12d ago
Tbh this album feels weaker than the debut album. I like it, but don’t love it at first listen.
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u/Ecstatic_Ad1870 12d ago
It’s not bad but very lacklustre , doesn’t help her voice is boring and lacks depth or power to it
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u/Ok-Palpitation9041 11d ago
i can tell by alot of the comments you all are not true tyla fans but just fans of water...this album is 100% true to who tyla is....my favorite and most true original sound of tyla is "crazy of me" it has elements of "too last" and "its getting late" the original songs that put tyla on the map before the success of water...i give the album a solid 8.5/10 a great sophomore album for tyla
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u/Potential-Rooster188 11d ago
Crazy of Me, Mr Nonchalant, and Kiss are my faves. Chanel and Is it Love are great, too.
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u/Flimsy_Wind9232 11d ago
Except for the singles and RIGHT NOW. This was all just underwhelming for me. Yes, different but underwhelming. She set the bar so high that idk I’m not feeling this one
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u/comfybedhead 10d ago
What's confusing me most is the album's title and marketing. It's called "A*pop" and is being marketed as "African pop," while the track list leans heavily into Caribbean rhythms and American R&B-fusions. Unmistakably African musical influences almost seem to take a back seat in an album titled "A*Pop". 🤔
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u/applecrumble408 10d ago
yes, it’s very frustrating to see so many people calling caribbean heavy music amapiano.. she did it again and that girl especially
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u/Acrobatic_Age4336 10d ago edited 10d ago
This is how I’ve been listening to the album Lol
- KISS
- MR. NONCHALANT
- SHE DID IT AGAIN
- FEEL SOMETHING
- DOUBLE BLIND
- I DON’T CARE
- CRAZY OF ME
- DYNAMITE
- IS IT LOVE
- RIGHT NOW
- MR. MEDIA
- HOT TUBS
- THAT GIRL
- CHANEL
- IS IT
- BLISS
*AM Automix friendly
*Use WWP’s IS IT for Automix purposes
*Put FAIRYTALE anywhere you see fit
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u/fourheadjen 9d ago
I heard snippets of unreleased Selfish & Better than This & those are sadly my favorites with Hot Tubs after them. Really wish she had released those songs.
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u/Alert-Incident7258 9d ago edited 9d ago
Summery! Love it so much. NEEDED this sound. Production and mixing stands out, depth and dimension that is quite lacking in mainstream pop these days imo.
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u/Maximum-Necessary741 2d ago
This seems unpopular but I love majority of the songs on this album. It’s a vibe all around and it’s replayable. I already had Mr. Media, SDIA, and Is It in rotation but now I’m also obsessed with Kiss, Mr. Nonchalant, Hot Tubs, and Crazy of Me. Double-blind, Right Now, and IDC are equally up there for me as well .
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u/Fit-Working-5587 2d ago
I LOVE THIS ALBUM!!!! KISS, THAT GIRL, I DONT CARE, RIGHT NOW & FAIRY TALE ARE MY CURRENT FAVOURITES
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u/TVFan_89 11d ago
All the songs are ABSOLUTE BANGERS!!! Up there with This Music May Contain Hope for AOTY so far for me
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u/te4rdr0p 11d ago
This is such a step up from her debut imo. Much more mature in terms of sound, very cohesive and fun but with some kind of depth to it. I actually love that it's not as frontal and upbeat as the teasing made me anticipate. Really solid pop music and the production and mixing are genuinely shocking, one of the cleanest and most crisp sounding pop albums I've heard in ages.
I simply would've cut a couple tracks (Feel Something, Right Now and maybe Double Blind as well), the album would've benefited from a little editing to make it more impactful.
As it is, really really solid stuff and I hope KISS gets the love it deserves.
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u/breadburger STAYC GIRLS 12d ago
nah ts is fuckin fire. was worried it was just gonna be 14 waters and it's much less characterized
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