After a slew of high-profile gigs, including a Coachella performance with pink brows and a slicked updo for her NYLON Magazine cover, Tyla is continuing to solidify her status as a style and beauty icon in the making. Case in point: the South African singer’s 2025 Met Gala blonde pixie has the internet buzzing again. With the event’s theme “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” in mind, Tyla ditched her signature dark hair and wore her new shorter length in sculpted curls, a nod to regal Harlem Renaissance icons.

“I was inspired by the fierce elegance of Black women from the 1930s and ’50s — legends of the Harlem Renaissance like Josephine Baker, Lena Horne, and the incomparable Joyce Bryant. Joyce was the blueprint: bold, glamorous, unapologetically provocative,” the singer’s hairstylist Yusef Williams exclusively tells TZR. “Every sculpted wave and glossy finish were a tribute to her fearless spirit.”

Williams goes on to say that the sculpted style merges the past with the present, and pairs seamlessly with her pinstripe Jacquemus gown. To kick things off, he applied OGX’s Bond Protein Repair Sealing Serum to her freshly-washed hair and sculpted the waves, using a classic roller set to shape them. Then, he ran Dyson’s Supersonic r Hair Dryer on medium heat with the diffuser attachment over the curls to seal the shape.

Once the curls were set, he spritzed OGX’s Bond Protein Repair Heat Protect Spray all over for extra moisture, then sculpted the shape of her pixie. To ensure the look held up throughout the night, Williams locked it all in place with OGX’s Flexible Hold Hairspray and added the Repair & Protect Bond Protein Repair 3-in-1 Oil Mist for an extra glossy finish. Before stepping out of the sprinter van and onto the Met blue carpet, the stylist used Dyson’s Corrale Style Straightener to touch up any curls so that every detail was flawless, and doused her hair in Parfums de Marly The Valaya Hair Mist. The fresh floral scent has a strong, long-lasting projection, which is vital when you’re going straight from a gala to after-party hopping.

“She brings such incredible energy, is open to experimenting, and isn’t afraid to push boundaries,” Williams says of getting glam for the Met Gala with Tyla. “That fearless spirit makes the whole experience inspiring and unforgettable.” Consider these words confirmation a style star is born.

The Products Behind Tyla’s Sculpted Curly Pixie