Despite making a major splash last summer with her Billboard Hot 100 top 10 smash “Water,” Tyla went for a different classical element for her debut at the 2024 Met Gala on Monday evening (May 6).

In honor of this year’s dress code, “The Garden of Time,” the South African popiano star arrived in a gritty and glittery body-hugging Balmain gown that was meant to symbolize the sands of time, complete with an hourglass sand timer as her accessory.

“I’m wearing sand, basically, the sands of time. We really wanted something out of the box for this year. I walked with Balmain, it’s my first time at the Met,” she told Met Gala red carpet host La La Anthony. “It feels amazing, I’m so excited to go inside and see all the pictures when I go home…. I just love the outfit and how everything turned out.”

Despite having to cancel her Coachella festival performance and push back her North American tour due to an injury she announced in March, Tyla said she’s still looking forward to “tour, festivals… I just dropped my debut album, guys, go stream it! Tyla. I’m excited to drop more things.”

Tyla released her self-titled debut studio album on March 22, 2024 via Fax and Epic Records, and it reached No. 24 on the Billboard 200 and No. 8 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums while topping World Albums, where it’s spent the last two weeks at No. 1.