Grammy-winning star Tyla has reinforced her status as one of South Africa’s biggest contemporary music exports after emerging as the country’s most-streamed local R&B artist on Spotify in 2025, according to new data released by the streaming platform.
The latest figures highlight the growing appetite for R&B across South Africa, with listeners spending more than 8.5 billion minutes streaming the genre this year — the equivalent of over 142 million hours of music. The milestone reflects the genre’s increasing influence, particularly among younger audiences who continue to embrace both homegrown and international R&B acts.
Tyla Tops South Africa’s R&B Rankings
Leading Spotify’s list of South Africa’s most-streamed local R&B artists is Tyla, whose global success continues to translate into strong support at home.
She is followed by Sondae, Lloyiso, Elaine and Jordan G Welch, underscoring the depth of South Africa’s contemporary R&B scene.
Tyla’s dominance extends beyond her home country. Across the African continent, she also ranks as Spotify’s most-streamed R&B artist, ahead of Nigerian stars Tems, Ayra Starr, Omah Lay and Fireboy DML.
Some of the biggest R&B tracks streamed across Africa this year include "Venus," "Baby (Is It A Crime)," "Arike," "Lost," and "Gimme Dat," reflecting the genre’s continued popularity across multiple markets.
Young Listeners Driving R&B’s Growth
Spotify’s data shows that South Africa’s R&B audience is overwhelmingly youthful.
Nearly 41% of listeners fall within the 18 to 24 age bracket, making Gen Z the genre’s largest audience. Another 19% are between 25 and 29 years old, highlighting the strong appeal of R&B among young adults.
The figures suggest that both classic influences and modern interpretations of the genre continue to resonate with a new generation of music fans.
Live Performances Fueling the Genre’s Momentum
The growth of R&B is not limited to streaming platforms.
Earlier this year, Johannesburg hosted Once Upon A Time In Joburg, one of South Africa’s leading R&B and neo-soul music festivals, with American singer SiR headlining the event.
Speaking about his experience performing for South African audiences, the singer praised the enthusiasm and energy of local fans.
"The audience is always wonderful when I’m out here. The people are always showing love and I definitely had a great time. I think this was one of my best shows," he said.
SiR also commended the country's growing R&B talent, highlighting South African singer Manana as one of the artists who impressed him.
"Having experienced him, man, I’m a fan already. To find out that my mother was already a fan, I was in tears."
Playlists Continue to Shape Music Discovery
Spotify said its editorial playlists remain an important tool for introducing listeners to emerging artists across Africa.
The platform noted that Ginja continues to rank among its most-streamed R&B playlists on the continent, while Cocoa Butter and Afro R&B are also playing significant roles in helping listeners discover new music.
Within South Africa, the strongest R&B streaming activity comes from Johannesburg, Cape Town, Pretoria, Durban and Gqeberha, demonstrating the genre’s widespread appeal across the country.
With Tyla leading both local and continental streaming charts, alongside a new generation of artists attracting growing audiences, Spotify’s latest data points to an R&B scene that continues to expand in both influence and cultural impact across South Africa and the wider African music landscape.