Tyla's epic Mumbai debut: see why she’s the new 'Desi Queen'

Tyla’s Mumbai debut drew a massive reaction as she hit the “Indian Sneaker Festival” stage with a bindi (dot), “Mumbai” hair art, and a full hour of crowd favourites that had the whole venue moving. 

The South African star stepped onto the stage on December 7 and turned her debut into a full cultural takeover, leaving fans shouting her name and social media calling her the new “Desi Queen”.

The festival made its Mumbai stop at the MMRDA Grounds, and Tyla arrived ready for the city. She reportedly captivated a 60,000 crowd at the festival, who were locked in before she even started singing. 

Her bob braids had been replaced with a half bob, half long, flowy fringe hairstyle, and "Mumbai" was boldly inscribed across the back of her outfit. A simple detail that sent the internet into a frenzy.

Videos of her look went viral with fans saying she blended right into the spirit of the city.

As soon as she greeted the crowd with “Namaste Mumbai”, the cheers took over the venue. Tyla delivered a high-energy hour that kept the entire audience captivated. 

Her setlist was packed with favourites like “Water”, “Chanel”, “Push 2 Start”, “Truth or Dare”, “Show Me Love”, “Dynamite” and “Jump”. 

As usual, the 23-year-old star balanced her smooth vocals with her stunning choreography, and the dance breaks between her and her team took the energy even higher.

What also made the night stand out was how naturally she connected with Mumbai. She spoke about her first day in the city, mentioned that she had worn a sari earlier, and kept telling the audience how excited she was to finally perform in India. 

“Wow, guys. It’s my first time in India! I’m so happy ... happy to be here, this is such a beautiful country, my gosh,” she said. 

The “Indian Sneaker Festival” is known for mixing music, fashion and sneaker culture, and this year’s Mumbai edition brought big names from around the world.

Tyla’s set, however, became the headline moment. With international acts like Lil Yachty, Charlotte de Witte and Alok on the bill, she still managed to be the artist everyone talked about.

After the eventful performance, Tyla was seen out in a glittering custom-made saree-inspired look, which was designed by India’s Nancy Tyagi. She took to Instagram to share her experience of working with Tyla.

“Creating this saree-inspired look for Tyla was such a beautiful experience for me. I wanted to bring together the best of Indian heritage and her bold sense of style into one silhouette. It felt like a quiet intersection of cultures, coming alive through couture and intention.

“Tyla's warmth made the process even more special. She was truly the sweetest throughout the entire process. Thank you@tyla, from the bottom of my heart, for trusting me. I love you so much."