Tyla Addresses Controversy Over ‘Coloured’ Identity Statement

South African singer Tyla has addressed the backlash she faced after referring to herself as a “coloured South African” in a 2020 TikTok video. The term “coloured” carries different connotations in various countries; in South Africa, it refers to a mixed-race identity, while in the United States, it is considered a derogatory term. The video resurfaced in 2023, leading to criticism from American audiences who misunderstood the cultural context. Tyla expressed her feelings about the incident, stating, “Honestly, I felt like I had no… no control. People took it and… it just went so far that I didn’t know what to do.” She acknowledged the sensitivity of the term and added, “The way people painted me… and I understand that word is a sensitive word for people, so I don’t blame anyone for being touched by it. I just would have wanted an opportunity for people to actually listen and learn. Tyla chose not to publicly address the backlash at the time, explaining, “Me choosing not to say anything… I’m happy that I didn’t. I didn’t want to explain my culture and something that is really important to me on a platform that was just going to purposefully misconstrue it.” She added, “I’ve explained it many times before, but people took that and put words in my mouth. They said a whole bunch of things I never said and ran with it.

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