The Glamour 2025 Women of the Year list is out. As expected, it confirms what we all already knew: Tyla is not just a moment; she is the movement. Indeed, Glamour officially named the 23-year-old South African superstar a Global Honoree. She now shares the cover spotlight with Hollywood royalty Demi Moore. For an artist who has spent the last year under an intense microscope, this is a powerful validation.
The Honour and the Vibe
This award is part of Glamour‘s 2025 “sisterhood” theme, celebrating connection across generations and continents. It’s a fitting frame. After a Grammy win, a debut album, and a record-breaking EP (WWP), the industry is finally catching up to the public’s obsession. Delali Ayivi shot the Glamour feature, perfectly capturing her Y2K-adjacent, always-on-point aesthetic. It’s a look she famously crafts with her best friend turned creative director, Thato Nzimande. This detail, of course, makes her rise feel even more authentic.
The Conversation We’re All Having
But let’s be real. This honour lands after a year of relentless public scrutiny. Glamour doesn’t shy away from the discourse, and neither should we. The feature rightfully touches on the “ruthless” public eye. This includes flimsy critiques (like the Usher concert non-drama) and the far more fraught debate around her identity.
The public conversation, particularly in the US, has fixated on her identifying as “Coloured.” This term, of course, has a distinct and complex racial classification in South Africa. It is completely separate from its offensive, antiquated use in America. This cultural difference came to a head on The Breakfast Club. Furthermore, commentators like Joe Budden have weaponised it. They try to link her sales figures to this, suggesting she’s alienating Black audiences.
Turning Pressure into Pop
Tyla’s response? She’s putting it in the music. She’s defiant. She told Glamour, “I realized that people just like to talk—that’s just my life now.” In fact, she even briefly changed her Twitter bio to “Entitled uppity African” after a commentator’s insult.
Consequently, this new WWP (We Wanna Party) EP is her real clapback. She’s turning the scrutiny into “something fun and pop.” As she sings on the lead single “Is It,” “Is it the fucks that I don’t give?” That’s the energy.
This Glamour honour feels like more than just another award. Indeed, it’s a recognition of the complete package: the sound, the fashion, and the resilience. It validates her “Tyla version” of stardom. This version now includes navigating complex cultural conversations while prepping for an Asia tour. The world is watching, and she’s giving them a show.
Photographer: Delali Ayivi @delaliayivi for Glamour.com
