Remember When Tyra Banks Was a Pop Star? And Why She Should've Been.

Revisiting the model's forgotten 2004 single that had all the makings of a major hit, and how the world was not ready for a Pop Diva Tyra.

In the ever-spinning carousel of celebrity ambition, the urge to leap from one spotlight to another—from screen to stage, from catwalk to concert—is a siren song few can resist. For every Jennifer Lopez who successfully pivots, there’s a long line of stars whose musical detours are filed away in the archives of ‘What Were They Thinking?’

One of the most fascinating cases of a famous figure taking the microphone is the inimitable Tyra Banks. Long before she was a business mogul, reality TV guru, and creator of the term “smize,” the supermodel had a brief but memorable stint as an aspiring pop/R&B star. Her venture into music, while short-lived, perfectly illustrates the complex, often unforgiving landscape of the Celebrity-Turned-Musician phenomenon.

While Tyra’s music aspirations weren’t quite as celebrated as her modeling or TV career, she did manage to drop a few notable tracks that resonate with a specific kind of 2000s nostalgia.

Tyra lent her vocals to the hook of a track for the late basketball legend Kobe Bryant’s ill-fated foray into hip-hop, “K.O.B.E.” in 1999. It was an early taste of the music world, though one that, perhaps mercifully, didn’t stick.

The inspirational song, “Be a Star,” featured in the 2000 Disney Channel movie Life-Size, is arguably her most enduring official song, even getting a sequel version for the 2018 follow-up. It’s cheesy, but it holds a genuine, feel-good charm.

Ah, the main event: “Shake Ya Body.” Released in 2004 during the height of America’s Next Top Model Cycle 2, this single was intended to be Tyra’s launchpad into pop stardom. It became an instantly recognizable piece of pop-culture lore, but not quite the smash hit she’d hoped for.

It’s “Shake Ya Body” that demands a deeper rewind. Produced by R&B hitmaker Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins (who had hits with Whitney Houston and Destiny’s Child), the track was sleek, radio-ready, and dripping with the early-aughts R&B-pop vibe.

Listen to it today, and you hear the bones of a smash. The track features a signature Darkchild beat—crisp, syncopated, and perfectly tailored for a confident, dance-pop queen. The hook is infectious, the bridge is tight, and the entire production is polished to a high sheen. It was an undeniable hit record.

Had “Shake Ya Body” been released today, in the era of TikTok virality, hyper-fandom, and the deconstruction of celebrity, it would have been praised as a cult classic turned mainstream hit.

The song and its delightfully low-budget, ANTM-themed music video would be instantly meme-able, fueling a viral dance challenge, making it perfect social media fuel. In a landscape where authenticity is celebrated, Tyra’s unapologetic confidence and the song’s pure-pop energy would transcend initial skepticism; the sheer Power of the Bop is what would win. Unlike the mid-2000s, where models turning singers were often ridiculed, today’s industry embraces “slashies”—celebrities who successfully juggle multiple careers. Tyra’s undeniable Star Power would have elevated the song from a curiosity to a Fierce contender.

Tyra’s short musical journey is emblematic of a broader trend: the celebrity pivot to music. For every Lady Gaga or Rihanna who effortlessly straddles both film and music, there’s a history of actors, models, and reality stars whose music careers are viewed with a critical, often dismissive, eye.

The truth is, while fame opens doors, it also raises the bar. When a superstar like Tyra Banks walks into a recording studio, she’s not just competing against new artists; she’s competing against Mariah Carey and Beyoncé. The audience expects perfection. Tyra herself admitted that her voice was “just decent,” which she felt wasn’t enough to transition from being a model.

Yet, in today’s digital age, the focus has shifted. It’s less about having a powerhouse vocal and more about vibe, branding, and cultural saturation. The success of many modern “celebrity musicians” isn’t solely rooted in vocal prowess, but in the strength of their personal brand and the quality of their production (which Tyra clearly had with Jerkins).

Tyra Banks ultimately became a mogul by mastering the art of the brand. But it’s a beautiful irony that one of her most ambitious branding attempts—“Shake Ya Body”—was ahead of its time. It was the high-key, high-energy, unapologetic pop song that was ready for a world that wouldn’t catch up for another decade.

We can only shake our bodies and wonder what a Tyra Banks full-length album would have sounded like today.