Grammy-winning South African singer Tyla has addressed claims questioning her racial identity, affirming that she is not white. Rival fans on social media had speculated that the 22-year-old singer is “white/Indian” rather than black.
In a statement shared on her X page Thursday night, Tyla clarified that she is mixed race with black/Zulu, Irish, and Mauritian/Indian ancestry. She explained that in her native South Africa, she would be classified as “Coloured,” but outside her country, she would be recognized as a black woman.
The ‘Water’ hitmaker emphasized that she has never denied her blackness, stating, “Yoh guys, [I have] never denied my blackness, idk where that came from… I’m mixed with black/Zulu, Irish, Mauritian/Indian, and Coloured.”
She added, “In Southa I would be classified as a Coloured woman and in other places, I would be classified as a black woman. Race is classified differently in different parts of the world. I don’t expect to be identified as Coloured outside of Southa by anyone not comfortable doing so because I understand the weight of that word outside of SA. But to close this conversation, I’m both Coloured in South Africa and a black woman.”
