The Tamesis
Tyra Zara LarsonPhotography: Matt Weinberg
New York may be known as the city that never sleeps, but Los Angeles can give it a run for its money—at least during Grammy weekend. Such was the case on Friday night, when music industry bigwigs took over the terrace room of the famed Sunset Tower Hotel for an EPIC Records and Hennessy pre-Grammy Awards party where they danced and mingled until the early hours.
The night spotlighted the label’s first-time Grammy nominees, including Tyla, Zara Larsson, Yolanda Adams and Eddie Benjamin. It’s also a double whammy celebration, as Tyla prepares to celebrate her 24th birthday in epic fashion. As the sensation – who competes for the Best African Music Act award for her hit single on Sunday Press 2 to start— She made her grand entrance around 11:00 p.m., and the room fell almost silent. The South African-born star turned heads in a white backless mini dress, neon bracelets by Alexis Bittar, a ring by Spinelli Kilcollin and lime green eyeshadow. It wasn’t just her mismatched shoes – one was neon yellow, the other a bright pink – and neon body paint.
Tyla wins the inaugural Best African Music Act Award 2024 watershe took it all in stride and didn’t let any pre-show jitters get to her. “Right now, I’m just trying to focus on my birthday and take it one day at a time,” she told me Fashion. “I’m really excited to be at the awards show again and see all my friends being nominated.”
Larson looked completely relaxed in a gauzy, sheer, deep pink gown with a plunging neckline, despite being just hours away from her first Grammys performance. “The closer I get to the day, the calmer I feel, which is good,” she admits. The Swedish chart-topper is nominated for Best Dance-Pop Album midnight sun, Adding: “The band I play with are amazing – I rehearsed with them today and I got chills!” As for what she’s most excited about? It’s a chance to hopefully rub shoulders with some of her longtime idols, one in particular: “Meeting Beyoncé will be iconic,” Larson gushed.
