Tyla Wears a Sheer Vintage Gown and 100 Diamonds at the 2026 Grammys

When Tyla stepped onto the red carpet at the 2026 Grammy Awards, it instantly felt like one of those moments people would still be talking about long after the show ended. Not because she tried too hard, not because she chased attention, but because everything about her presence felt confident, calm, and locked in. From the dress to the diamonds to the win that followed later in the night, Tyla owned the 2026 Grammys.

The 24-year-old singer arrived at the 68th Grammy Awards at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles looking like someone who knew exactly why she was there. Cameras followed her steps as she posed in a sheer Dsquared2 gown with a plunging neckline, gold details, and a dramatic feathered train that flowed behind her.

The dress itself was a masterpiece. It came from Dsquared2’s 2013 Fall and Winter collection, making it more than a decade old and technically older than half her life. Yet on Tyla, it looked current, fresh, and perfectly timed. The look proved that fashion doesn’t need to be new to feel powerful. It just needs the right person wearing it.

Her beauty look stayed just as controlled. Tyla wore her hair half-up, letting a long bang fall softly across one side of her face. The style framed her features without hiding them and gave her an easy confidence that matched the gown. Her makeup leaned clean and glowing rather than heavy, allowing the dress and jewelry to do the talking. Strappy high-heeled sandals completed the look, simple enough not to compete, strong enough to hold their own.

Then came the diamonds. As a global ambassador for Pandora, a partnership she began in 2024, the “Push and Start” crooner leaned fully into sparkle without tipping into excess. The singer wore more than 100 lab-grown diamonds across her look, turning her neckline, wrists, fingers, and ankles into points of light. The centerpiece was a custom choker called The Together Collier, made with 14K white gold and set with 116 lab-grown diamonds totaling 11.6 carats. Underneath it, she layered two tennis bracelets as chokers, creating a stacked effect that felt bold but intentional.

The rest of her jewelry lineup stayed just as detailed. She added lab-grown diamond rings, the Era Lab-Grown Diamond Bracelet, and the Ezra Bezel Dangle Paperclip Chain Bracelet worn around her ankle. Every piece felt placed with care. Nothing looked random. Nothing looked like an afterthought. The jewelry didn’t overwhelm the outfit. It completed it.

While the cameras focused on her look, the reason she was there went far deeper than fashion. Tyla entered the night as a two-time nominee and left as a two-time Grammy winner, taking home the Grammy for Best African Music Performance for her track “Push 2 Start.” The song appears on Tyla+, the deluxe edition of her debut album, and its victory placed her ahead of heavyweights such as Davido, Burna Boy, and Arya Starr.

Winning once can be described as luck or timing. Winning twice, especially in the same category, starts to look like a pattern. It signals that her success is not a momentary trend but part of a larger shift in how African music is heard, valued, and celebrated on global platforms.

This win carried extra weight because it followed her groundbreaking moment in 2024, when she became the youngest African artist to ever win a Grammy in that category for her global hit “Water.” That earlier victory introduced many listeners around the world to her voice, her rhythm, and her ability to blend pop with African influences in a way that felt natural rather than packaged. The 2026 Grammy Award confirmed that she was not simply repeating a formula. She was evolving, experimenting, and pushing herself forward while keeping her roots visible.

Tyla has spoken openly about how fast everything happened once “Water” took off. In an interview with Variety in August 2025, she explained that the sudden attention caught her off guard. She admitted that she was not fully prepared for the scale of recognition that arrived almost overnight. Instead of enjoying the moment, she found herself worrying about doing everything correctly, afraid of making mistakes in public while still figuring out who she was as an artist.

That honesty resonates with many young creatives who find success early and struggle with the pressure that comes with it. Fame, especially in the digital age, rarely comes with a manual. For someone who grew up far from the traditional centers of the global music industry, the adjustment can feel even more intense.

Tyla has also been clear about how much her background shapes her perspective. Coming from Edenvale, South Africa, Tyla understands that her journey is not typical. Millions of people knowing your name, your face, and your voice is not a normal experience for anyone, regardless of where they come from. What sets her apart is the way she consistently acknowledges the artists who paved the way before her.

The musician has spoken about the respect she holds for African and South African musicians who helped build the paths she now walks on. Carrying her country’s flag on international stages is not something she treats lightly. It is a responsibility she embraces with gratitude rather than entitlement.

That sense of grounding shows in her music choices. In July, she released a four-song EP titled WWP, short for We Want to Party. The project served as a bridge between her debut album and her upcoming second album. Rather than holding back, she chose to put out music that reflected who she is right now. The EP leaned louder, bolder, and more playful, with tracks designed to be felt in summer crowds and late-night speakers.

Tyla explained that the EP allowed her to say what she needed to say before moving into her next album era. Songs like “Mr. Media” gave her space to address ideas that had been sitting with her, while still keeping the energy fun and direct. The project wasn’t about perfection. It was about honesty.

According to Tyla, her next album will sound different from what people expect. With more time to work than she had on her first record, she has built a larger collection of songs and a clearer sense of direction. She has described the new music as more personal and current, shaped by experiences she is actively living rather than reflecting on later. That shift matters. It often marks the point where an artist stops performing an image and starts owning their voice.

The days leading up to the 2026 Grammys showed how comfortable Tyla has become in high-profile spaces. On Saturday, she attended Clive Davis’s annual Pre-Grammy Gala in a revealing dress that highlighted her confidence and ease.

The night before, Epic Records and Hennessy hosted a Grammy kickoff party that also doubled as her 24th birthday celebration. Wearing a strapless white mini dress paired with neon makeup, Tyla became the center of attention as guests sang to her, turning the event into both a party and a milestone.

Fashion has become a powerful extension of Tyla’s identity. Working with stylist Ronnie Hart for the Grammys 2026, she approaches clothing as storytelling rather than decoration. Hart revealed that her Grammy dress was a “happy accident,” originally intended for a different event. That detail adds another layer to the look. Sometimes the most iconic moments are unplanned, discovered through instinct rather than strategy. Choosing a vintage Dsquared2 piece also sent a subtle message about sustainability and creativity. Rewearing archival fashion challenges the idea that relevance only comes from newness. It suggests that history, when respected, can feel fresh again.

The decision to pair that dress with lab-grown diamonds reinforced a modern outlook. Luxury is changing, and audiences are paying closer attention to how products are made and sourced. By wearing ethically produced stones on one of the biggest nights in music, Tyla aligned herself with a future-facing approach to style. It was not presented as a lecture or statement. It was simply part of her look, seamlessly integrated into the overall vision.

Winning the Grammy itself capped the night with emotional weight. Standing on stage, accepting the award, Tyla joined a growing list of African artists reshaping global soundscapes. Each acceptance speech, each performance, and each nomination adds to a larger narrative about representation and recognition. For young listeners across Africa and the diaspora, seeing someone who looks like them, sounds like them, and speaks openly about where she comes from matters deeply. It sends a message that their stories belong on world stages, too.

In a previous conversation with People following her 2024 win, Tyla described the experience as surreal. Hearing her name called, delivering a speech, and realizing the historical weight of the moment felt overwhelming, especially given how early she was in her career. That sense of disbelief has likely evolved, but the gratitude remains. The 2026 win did not erase the magic of the first one. Instead, it built on it, turning surprise into momentum.

The Grammys themselves continue to change as global music gains more space within the ceremony. Categories like Best African Music Performance highlight sounds that were once overlooked or grouped under vague labels. Artists like Tyla benefit from this shift, but they also drive it. Their success pushes institutions to pay attention, update structures, and listen more closely to what audiences around the world are already embracing.

By the end of the night, Tyla’s 2026 Grammys appearance felt like a complete statement. The fashion, the jewelry, the award, and the words she has shared in interviews all pointed in the same direction. She is an artist in motion, aware of her influence, protective of her growth, and excited about what comes next. She is not rushing to fit into an image created by others. She is building her own, step by step, performance by performance.

As conversations continue online, fans replay red carpet footage, fashion writers analyze the gown, and music lovers revisit “Push 2 Start,” one thing becomes clear. Tyla’s presence at the 2026 Grammys was not just about looking good or winning again. It was about visibility, pride, and progress. It showed how far African pop has come and hinted at how much further it can go with voices like hers leading the way.

The night will be remembered for many reasons, but for Tyla, it stands as proof that growth does not have to mean losing yourself. It can mean refining who you already are, honoring where you come from, and stepping forward with confidence.

With another Grammy in hand, new music on the horizon, and a style that turns heads without shouting, Tyla’s story is still unfolding. If the 2026 Grammys are any indication, the chapters ahead will be just as compelling, shaped by honesty, creativity, and a deep connection to her roots.

Photo: Getty Images