Grammy-winning South African singer Tyla has addressed claims that she isn’t black, clarifying her mixed racial heritage in a statement on her X page. The 22-year-old singer responded to rival fans’ claims on social media that she is “white/Indian” and not black.
Tyla emphasized that she has black/Zulu, Irish, Mauritian/Indian ancestry, making her mixed race. In South Africa, she would be classified as “Coloured,” but outside her country, she would be classified as a black woman. She stressed that she has never denied her blackness and understands the different classifications of race globally.
The statement read, “I’ve never denied my blackness… I’m mixed with black/Zulu, Irish, Mauritian/Indian, and Coloured. In South Africa, I’m classified as a Coloured woman, and elsewhere, I’m classified as a black woman. Race is classified differently worldwide.”