Tyla gave her hometown fans a day packed with music, colour and surprises.
Grammy-winning South African superstar Tyla celebrates her homecoming with fans at an exclusive takeover at Gold Reef City in Johannesburg, 16 August 2026. Picture: Nigel Sibanda/The Citizen
South African superstar Tyla brought her A*POP era to life in spectacular fashion when she hosted an exclusive fan appreciation day at Gold Reef City in Johannesburg on Sunday, 16 August.
The sold-out experience allowed her loyal Tygers to celebrate her sophomore album, A*POP, with the woman behind the global hits.
And if anyone thought the day would be a simple meet-and-greet, Tyla clearly had other plans.
Gold Reef City gets an A*POP makeover
The theme park was transformed into an A*POP playground. It featured colourful face painting, a neon photography room and merchandise activations, which had fans fully embracing the moment.
The 24-year-old pop star gave away 1 000 tickets through Instagram and TikTok challenges using music from her latest album. This created an energetic crowd of fans who were ready to sing, dance and celebrate.
The Edenvale-born singer also took to the stage, performing some of her biggest songs, including the current smash hit, That Girl, and Push to Start. Meanwhile, popular choreographer and dancer Lee-ché Janecke, also known professionally as Litchi HOV, added to the entertainment.
Janeke can be attributed to Tyla and popular DJ Uncle Waffle’s choreographed performances. He is also a recipient of the Standard Bank Young Artist Award.
Sharing how she felt about the enormous crowd of screaming fans that had gathered to see her, Tyla said, “If I’m honest, I know I’m a pop star, but I’ll never get used to this. What the heck!”
The two-time Grammy winner was transported around the theme park as she greeted and interacted with fans of all ages. She added, “I grew up in South Africa; we never had this, but I’m grateful.”
Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille was also among those attending the event, along with 200 tourism and hospitality students who were given access through De Lille’s department.
The fan experience was not short on treats either. Each fan received a food voucher and a goodie bag. This ensured they left Gold Reef City with more than just memories and a few new pictures for the timeline.
Tyla taking A*POP around the world
The Johannesburg takeover comes as Tyla prepares for an enormous international run.
Her A*POP World Tour kicks off in Paris on 12 October 2026. After that, it will travel through Europe, the UK and North America.
But the biggest moments will come when she finally returns home.
She will perform at Green Point Track in Cape Town on 4 January 2027. Then, she will bring the tour to Johannesburg’s Expo Centre in Nasrec on 9 January 2027. The Johannesburg concert will mark the end of her 34-date world tour.
