Tyla is reaffirming her identity amid ongoing discussions about her racial background.
In a new interview with British Vogue, the 23-year-old South African singer addressed the debate once again, making it clear that she stands firm in who she is.
“You know that even if you give the best explanation, people will still choose not to understand,” she said. “But I’m at a point where I know who I am. I know I’m a Black woman, and I know I’m a Coloured woman as well, and you can be both. And the people that care to learn, they understand now. And that’s enough for me.”
The conversation around Tyla’s identity began in 2020 when a resurfaced TikTok video showed her describing herself as a “Coloured South African.” While the term is widely recognized in South Africa as an official racial classification with a unique cultural identity, it carries a different and offensive meaning in other parts of the world, particularly in the U.S.
The topic resurfaced last June during her appearance on The Breakfast Club when Charlamagne tha God asked her to clarify what it means to be a South African Coloured person. She sidestepped the question at the time but later took to social media to explain.
“Never denied my Blackness, idk where that came from,” she wrote on X. She further explained that her heritage includes Black/Zulu, Irish, Mauritian/Indian, and Coloured ancestry. She acknowledged that while she is recognized as Coloured in South Africa, she understands that outside of her home country, she is seen as a Black woman.
“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,” she added. “But close to this conversation, I’m both Coloured in South Africa and a Black [woman].”
