Grammy-winning South African singer Tyla has shut down viral claims that she signed with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, using a brief Instagram Story to end days of online speculation.
Fresh from joining Billie Eilish and Lady Gaga in the 2026 Grammy race, Tyla is instead preparing to release her second studio album, APOP*.
The rumours surfaced just weeks after her latest single ‘Is It Love‘ arrived in June. Many fans accepted the reports as genuine. Tyla says they were not.
The story started with a fake image.
It appeared to show a digital billboard in New York’s Times Square welcoming Tyla to Roc Nation. Within hours, the edited image had spread across X, Facebook and entertainment blogs.
One publication then expanded the claim into a detailed report. It alleged Tyla had signed a multi-million-dollar deal with Roc Nation after leaving Epic Records, complete with a supposed signing date, a description of the “launch” and references to Jay-Z’s billionaire status.
Neither Tyla, Roc Nation nor her management backed those claims.
While the rumours were proven to be false, Tyla does, however, have genuine ties to Jay-Z and Beyoncé — just not through a Roc Nation contract.
How the Roc Nation rumour spread
The rumours gained traction because they seemed to draw a lot from real industry facts.
Roc Nation’s official music roster includes global stars such as A$AP Rocky, Alicia Keys, Rihanna and Ayra Starr. Tyla and Ayra Starr are also regularly mentioned together as African artists making waves internationally, making the story appear plausible at first glance.
The fake Times Square billboard strengthened that impression. Several fan pages and entertainment websites reposted the image before anyone involved confirmed the story.
Tyla settled the matter herself.
Posting on Instagram Stories, she wrote:
“I’m not signed to Roc Nation, but my album A*POP drops 24 July 2026.”
She did not address the rumours any further. Instead, she redirected fans to her upcoming album.
The clarification comes after a busy few months that also included her FIFA World Cup 2026 collaboration with Future ahead of the tournament’s opening ceremony.
Jay-Z has already recognised Tyla’s music
Although Tyla has not signed with Roc Nation, Jay-Z has publicly acknowledged her work before.
In late 2023, he included ‘Water‘ on his carefully curated Couple Songs of ’23 playlist on TIDAL. Tyla was the only African artist featured that year, placing her alongside some of the biggest names in music.
Months later, she became the youngest South African artist to win a Grammy after ‘Water‘ claimed the inaugural Best African Music Performance award.
Beyoncé’s support came long before the rumours
Beyoncé has also shown public support for Tyla.
After Tyla released her self-titled debut album, Beyoncé sent her flowers with a handwritten note congratulating her on the project. Tyla later shared the gift on Instagram and said Beyoncé had been one of her biggest inspirations growing up.
The gesture reflected professional respect, much like the global influence Beyoncé continues to hold across music, fashion and business.
Taken together, Jay-Z’s playlist and Beyoncé’s handwritten note made the Roc Nation rumour easier for many fans to believe.
They never amounted to a recording deal.
For now, Tyla has settled the speculation herself. There is no Roc Nation signing. Instead, her attention is on her second studio album, A-Pop, which arrives on July 24.
