An amapiano song with elements of pop, R&B and Afrobeats, it sees Tyla expressing a desire for a passionate, intimate tryst.

Remix versions of the song by American rapper Travis Scott and record producer Marshmello were released on 17 November 2023.

[1] Production of the song began in London and finished in Los Angeles before it was sent to songwriters in Atlanta, who recorded a vocal demo.

[3][4] She told Interview that after finishing "Water", she was convinced that the song would be successful and dreamed about "watching [her] Spotify streams climb by the second".

[5] Before "Water" was released, Tyla successfully performed it as an opening act on the European leg of Chris Brown's Under the Influence Tour in early 2023.

[11][12] The song was previewed on 21 July 2023 during an interview with Tyla on Spotify's Mic Check podcast series after she appeared on the streaming platform's Radar program for emerging artists.

[15][16] The song gained traction on TikTok in August 2023 after a video of Tyla doing the accompanying dance during a live performance went viral.

[21] Released on 17 November 2023, "Water" had remix versions by American rapper and labelmate Travis Scott and record producer Marshmello.

[3] Tyla uses vivid imagery to express her desire for what Neon Music described as "an all-consuming, soul-stirring connection" involving romance and sex.

[56][55] Tyla told Essence that she wanted to create something that felt "hot and steamy", saying that it was the first time she had explored a love story in one of her music videos.

Following the conclusion of the main show on 2 November, Cassper Nyovest posted on Twitter to express his feelings on how Tyla was snubbed of the accolade.

[a] Tyla then performed "Water" in August 2023 for Vevo's DSCVR program, a video series which spotlights emerging artists.

[69] She made her international television debut in early October 2023, performing the song on The Bianca Show in Sweden and being interviewed by the host.

[71] Tyla performed the song in a medley with her follow-up single, "Truth or Dare", during the finale of season 24 of the American talent-competition show The Voice later that month.

[72] Tyla performed a medley of "On and On", "Truth or Dare", and "Water" in Times Square on the 2024 Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve television special.

[77] Tyla performed most of the tracks from the album, including "Breathe Me" and "Water", and cover songs at the 2024 edition of the Summer Sonic Festival in Osaka on 17 August 2024.

[82] Tyla performed a medley of "Water" and "Push 2 Start" in Brooklyn Navy Yard, New York City on 15 October 2024, at the 2024 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show,[83][84] and again in Co-op Live, Manchester, United Kingdom on 10 November, at the 30th Annual MTV Europe Music Awards.