South African Grammy winner and global superstar Tyla delivered a career-defining performance at the 2025 Global Citizen Festival in New York City’s Central Park, captivating an audience of over 60,000 people. Her set not only showcased her musical prowess but also marked a full-circle moment in her journey with Global Citizen.
Seven years ago, Tyla was simply a fan filling out a survey to attend the Global Citizen Festival at FNB Stadium in South Africa. Now, she has become one of the headline acts at the international event, a transformation she herself acknowledged on stage.
“It’s actually crazy that I’m performing here,” she told the roaring crowd. “The first time I came to Global Citizen was when they came to South Africa. And I’m telling you it was a bargain. All I did was fill in a survey and I saw Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Pharrell… I saw Usher’s butt crack, 3-D. And the fact that I’m on this stage now is amazing. We are here for a good cause.”
The Grammy Award winner lit up the stage with her unique fusion of amapiano, pop, and R&B. Opening with Is It from her EP We Wanna Party, she immediately set the tone for a high-energy night. She followed with Truth or Dare and her hit collaboration with Nigerian star Wizkid, Dynamite.
One of the most powerful moments came during her Grammy-winning single Water. Tyla paused mid-song when she noticed a fan in distress in the crowd, refusing to continue until help arrived. Once the situation was resolved, she reignited the performance with a rallying cry: “Now we’re gonna scream!” The park erupted, turning the moment into one of the defining highlights of the festival.
Her setlist continued with fan favourites including Art, Shake Ah, Thata Ahh, and Mr Media. The audience went wild when she teased an unreleased track, rumoured to be titled Chanel. She closed her electrifying performance with Jump and the anthem Push 2 Start, earning deafening applause.
The 2025 Global Citizen Festival lineup also featured international heavyweights Shakira, Cardi B, Ayra Starr, Mariah the Scientist, and a surprise appearance by BLACKPINK’s Rosé. But it was Tyla’s story — from filling out surveys for tickets to owning the main stage — that stood out as a testament to her meteoric rise and enduring star power.
