Tyla’s New Pandora Charm Honors Her Fans, the Tygers

Tyla is not someone to let the haters get her down—or pay any attention to them at all, actually. When the Grammy-winning singer stepped onto the red carpet last month in an archival spring/summer 1993 Chanel top worn as an ultra-minidress, stacked with layers upon layers of Pandora’s new Talisman collection, online commentators went wild (“Chanel” is also the title of an unreleased song that Tyla’s been teasing online, with the help of models Anok Yai and Alton Mason).

Virality is nothing new to Tyla. From her iconic first hit, “Water,” to the dance moves thousands of fans recreate on social media, to her red carpet looks and even simple interactions caught on camera, the singer is fodder for the algorithm and fuels endless debates. One thing that’s undebatable, though? Her star power.

“If I feel hot, it doesn’t really matter,” Tyla tells ELLE about her VMAs look. “The people that don’t get it just don’t get it.”

Courtesy of Pandora

At 23 years old, Tyla is quickly becoming a role model for unapologetic self-confidence. She proudly admits to being her own biggest fan, as she should be. (“I do not want to perform a song that I do not like,” she says). Her Tygers (her name for her fan base) are some of her biggest motivators, and she feels she owes it to them to bring her energy, through her performances and by simply being herself.

Another thing she brings to her fans—this one tangible—comes from her partnership with Pandora. The brand ambassador was the face of the Talisman collection when it dropped earlier this fall, an expansion of the jewelry house’s dedication to self-expression and personal totems.

Now, the label has released a new limited-edition talisman, co-created with Tyla herself. Featuring the singer’s signature on one side and a tiger on the other, the charm is a representation of her Tygers and a way for them to carry a bit of Tyla with them. The charm will be available in sterling silver and plated 14k gold and come with a special Pandora Styled by Tyla box.

We spoke to Tyla about the new charm and how she plans to style it, as well as being a sensation online and off, and what we can expect from her upcoming music (her second album is rumored to come out later this year). Read below for more style and confidence secrets from the singer.

What was your process or inspiration when creating the new charm?

I remember growing up loving Pandora and always wanting to have my own charm bracelets, so having my own charm is something very exciting for me, especially because I’ll be able to share it with my fans all over the world. With this specific charm, having the tiger on it was important because it’s been part of my journey since I started, as an artist and a symbol for my Tygers. I feel like that ties us together in a way.

Courtesy of Pandora

I’ve noticed you’re a maximalist when it comes to jewelry, especially with your Pandora pieces. How would you describe your personal style? Is there anything you want to try next when it comes to style, fashion, or jewelry?

Jewelry can really elevate an outfit. I love putting on as much as I can. I’ve always loved every type of jewelry; my belly ring and my nose ring are two things that I have on every single day. My toe rings, every day. Anklets, every day. Being able to play with jewelry is always fun for me. You said maximalist? I didn’t even know what that was but yes, I’m a maximalist. I just love it all.

If I feel hot, it doesn’t really matter. Everyone has their own personal sense of style. Everybody has their own thing. What I did with the VMA look, just being able to wear a top as a dress and elevate it with the Pandora jewelry, I’ve never really seen it done in that way before. A lot of people loved it, too. The people that don’t get it just don’t get it. And the girls that do, do.

From what I’ve seen, you’re probably one of the more closely critiqued artists on social media at the moment, which seems to come hand in hand with fame and virality. How do you deal with the criticism?

I think when you become a pop star, that kind of it comes with it. I’ve learned to accept it and embrace it in a way. I kind of love the hate. I love the love. I love it all. It feels like I’m in a game and I’m having the most fun.

Courtesy of Pandora

I saw a video recently of you saying you are your own top listened-to artist. Why is it important to be your own biggest fan?

When I’m onstage and I’m performing a song over and over again, I do not want to perform a song that I do not like. That just takes the fun out of it. Whenever I release something, I want to love it so much that I’m able to do it over and over again. I feel like my fans can feel it. People can feel energy and vibes. If I want people to have fun at my shows, I need to be having fun.

You’ve had multiple songs go viral. Is there any song of yours that you think should’ve gone viral that didn’t? Any that you were surprised by?

I always feel like random things go viral. I’m like, “Where did you guys find this?” Things that I’ve done so long ago always resurface. You never can expect what goes viral, especially these days. Mainly my dances are the ones that are viral. I love seeing people do them. But with the music, I feel like “Chanel” is going to be a good one. It’s literally for the girls. It’s about spoiling the girls. If you love your girl, you got to show her you love her, you know? Give us Chanel. Take her to the spa, get her flowers. You say you love your girl, you’ve got to show her you love her.

I’m still in the party vibe. I want to have a good time. I’m still in that mode right now. It’s going to make sense.

How do you think the Tygers will react to the new charm?

I’m just so excited. I want to go to the Pandora store and go buy one and add it to my charm bracelets. I want to see how the Tygers style it. I want to see maximalism. I want to see how they play with the charm. I’m excited to see the girls be creators, because my Tygers are very creative.