Grammy-winning South African singer Tyla has debunked claims that she isn’t black.
There were claims from rival fans on social media that the 22-year-old singer is “white/Indian” and not black.
Reacting in a statement shared via X on Thursday, June 13, Tyla clarified that she is mixed race. She emphasized that she has black/Zulu, Irish, Mauritian/Indian ancestry.
She noted that in her native South Africa, she would be classified as “Coloured” but outside her country, she would be classified as a black woman.
Tyla insisted that she had never denied her blackness.
“Yoh guys, [I have] never denied my blackness, idk where that came from…
“I’m mixed with black/Zulu, irish, Mauritian/Indian and Coloured.
“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.”
