When Tyla’s ‘Water’ climbed into the global mainstream, it wasn’t just a breakout moment for a South African pop star. It was another sign that African music had outgrown regional labels. Now, one of the world’s most powerful entertainment companies is moving in to formalise that momentum.
HYBE, the South Korean entertainment giant behind BTS, Seventeen, and Katseye, has entered into a global management partnership with Tyla and her co-managers, Brandon Hixon and Colin Gayle. The Tyla-Hybe partnership places Tyla at the centre of HYBE’s latest regional expansion while creating a platform designed to take African artists to global markets at scale.
This is not a distribution deal or a licensing play. It is a long-term infrastructure move with positive potential for African artists. 
READ ALSO: 5 of Tyla’s Record-Breaking Achievements in 2025
What the Tyla-Hybe Partnership Covers
Under the agreement, HYBE will oversee Tyla’s global management. The K-pop giant will provide integrated support across touring, marketing, promotion, digital strategy, brand partnerships, publishing, merchandise, and multimedia production.
To anchor the initiative, HYBE and Tyla’s managers have formed a new joint venture, NFO LLC, led by Hixon and Gayle alongside HYBE America’s management leadership. Tyla is the first artist under the platform, but not the last. The venture has the mandate to sign and develop emerging and established African artists across the continent and diaspora.
HYBE CEO Jason Jaesang Lee described the move as a “pivotal moment” in the company’s global expansion strategy, aligned with its “multi-home, multi-genre” vision.
Why Tyla Is the Entry Point
The 23-year-old Grammy winner took home Best African Music Performance in 2024. Her single ‘Water’ peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, crossed 1 billion streams in under 2 years, and became the first song by a South African soloist to chart in the US in over 5 decades. Her debut album reached No. 24 on the Billboard 200, making her the highest-charting African female soloist in history.
READ ALSO: 4 African Artists With 1 Billion Spotify Streams
She also already moves comfortably across cultures, from Afrobeats and amapiano to pop and R&B, with collaborations and appearances spanning the US and South Korea. For HYBE, Tyla offers global credibility, not just potential.
What Makes This Deal Different
Unlike HYBE’s previous expansions in Japan, Latin America, or India, which focused heavily on developing new talent using K-pop training models, the African strategy starts with existing leadership and proven success.
Hixon and Gayle retain day-to-day artistic control. HYBE supplies global infrastructure. The approach suggests adaptation, not cultural export.
Behind the move is a rapidly growing market. Sub-Saharan Africa’s recorded music revenue grew over 22% in 2024, crossing $100 million for the first time. In the US alone, African music streaming revenue is projected to hit $500 million in 2025.
What This Partnership Means for African Artists
This partnership signals a shift from viral moments to sustainable systems. If successful, it gives African artists access to global touring circuits, brand pipelines, cross-genre collaborations, and long-term career planning. This partnership comes without stripping away cultural identity.
As Colin put it, African artists are entering a moment of “unlimited potential.” HYBE’s move suggests the global industry is finally building the roads to match it.
For Tyla, it’s scale. For African music, it’s structure.
About The Author
