Tyla’s “Is It Love” Explores Love, Longing & Emotional Vulnerability in New Single

Tyla Questions the Depth of Love in Vulnerable New Single “Is It Love”

South African sensation Tyla is stepping into a bold new chapter with “Is It Love,” a mesmerizing single that serves as our first taste of her upcoming studio album, “APOP.” The track finds the Grammy-winning artist diving headfirst into the complicated emotions of contemporary romance, all while posing a provocative question that lingers long after the song ends: “Is it love if you don’t cry?”

Don’t mistake this for a literal declaration that tears validate romance. Instead, Tyla weaves crying into the narrative as a powerful symbol of emotional openness and the hunger to be truly understood by someone special. The track pulses with her need for tangible proof of devotion—she’s done with hollow promises and empty declarations. Lines about wanting a partner to “water my roots” paint a vivid picture of someone searching for stability, consistent affection, and a connection that runs deeper than surface-level attraction. It’s R&B with a global sensibility, blending smooth production with Tyla’s signature ability to make vulnerability sound irresistibly confident.

The accompanying visual, crafted by director Aerin Moreno, transforms these raw emotions into pure cinema. Opening with Tyla commanding the screen through striking choreography in a moody, blue-washed apartment, the video gradually descends into beautiful chaos. Glass explodes, water cascades through the space, and everything crumbles around her—yet she never stops moving. A shadowy figure observing from beyond the window adds another layer to the narrative, embodying the distance and yearning that fuel the song’s emotional core.

“Is It Love” proves once again why Tyla remains one of the most exciting voices emerging from the African music scene, unafraid to blend genres and bare her soul in the process.