South African music star Tyla is celebrating a major milestone as Toy Story 5 arrives in cinemas, giving fans the chance to hear her voice in one of the world’s most beloved movie franchises.
The Grammy-winning singer has officially joined the Disney family after landing a voice role in the highly anticipated animated film. Tyla voices a brand-new character named Inflatable Flamingo for the Sub-Saharan African release of Toy Story 5.
As audiences head to cinemas to watch the latest adventure featuring Woody and Buzz Lightyear, many fans have been reminded of a tweet Tyla posted three years ago.
On 18 October 2023, the singer wrote: “Disney, hit me up when you free.”
At the time, it appeared to be a simple social media post. However, three years later, Disney reached out with an opportunity that Tyla could not refuse.
The singer recently spoke to Anele on 947 FM’s Anele and the Club, where the radio host reminded her about the tweet. Tyla admitted that she had completely forgotten about posting it.
During the interview, Anele asked Tyla how she found out she had landed the role of Inflatable Flamingo.
“I got the news from my team and they were like ‘Disney reached out and they want you to voice the Flamingo for the African version of Toy Story and I said yes straight away.”
Joining the Toy Story franchise was a surreal moment for the singer, who grew up watching the films.
“When I was asked to join the production Toy Story 5, I was so excited. This is like the first time I was on the managers every day. What’s happening on Toy Story? I just couldn’t believe that the offer was even presented to me. It’s like literally Toy Story, I’m with Woody and Buzz Lightyear.”
According to Good Things Guy, the opportunity represents more than just another achievement in Tyla’s successful career. It is also the fulfilment of a childhood dream.
Reflecting on what the role means to her, Tyla said, “Toy Story has been such a special part of my childhood, so being part of this film is a full-circle moment for me. I’m incredibly excited for audiences to experience it, and it means so much to know that African viewers will hear an African voice bringing one of these beloved characters to life.”
With Toy Story 5 now showing in cinemas, Tyla’s journey from tweeting Disney to becoming part of the iconic franchise proves that sometimes a dream can come true when you least expect it.
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