South African pop star Tyla launched her That Girl Music Scholarship to assist female tertiary music students.
By Zuko Komisa

South Africa’s global music sensation, Tyla, has once again confirmed her status as a trailblazing force in the international music scene. Beyond dominating music charts worldwide, the Johannesburg-born artist is taking concrete steps to support and uplift young women pursuing careers in the music industry.
Building on her meteoric rise marked by her breakout hit “Water,” which reached Number 7 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and earned her a Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance Tyla has officially announced her That Girl Music Scholarship. Named after the empowering anthem off her sophomore album A*POP, the initiative will fund female students enrolled in tertiary music degrees across select tour locations.
Ten female students demonstrating financial need and academic excellence will each receive a scholarship valued at $5,000—amounting to approximately R82,500 per recipient (a total investment of around R825,000). Priority will be given to institutions classified as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the United States, such as Howard University, Spelman College, and Texas Southern University.
The initiative caps off an exceptionally active 2026 for the artist. Following the July release of her second studio project A*POP—which debuted at Number 1 on the Billboard World Albums chart and features tracks like “CHANEL” and “IS IT” Tyla continues to balance critical acclaim with meaningful philanthropy.
This move aligns seamlessly with Tyla’s public commitment to female empowerment.
Reflecting on her values while speaking on the red carpet at the GLAMOUR Women of the Year Awards, Tyla underscored the importance of sisterhood and famously declared:
“The girls are dominating.”
By offering direct financial backing to aspiring artists, Tyla ensures that young women are given the resources to thrive and sustain that dominance across the music industry for generations to come.
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