‘I’ve never denied my blackness’ – Tyla debunks claims she’s white

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 her X page Thursday night, Tyla clarified that she is mixed race.
She emphasised 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.

The ‘Water’ hitmaker insisted that she had never denied her blackness.

The statement read, “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 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.”