Tyla Addresses Colorism Allegations In Letter To Fans

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South African singer Tyla performs as revelers celebrate New Year's Eve in Times Square on December 31, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by John LAMPARSKI / AFP) (Photo by JOHN LAMPARSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
She went into detail on her own identity.

Tyla was one of the biggest breakout stars of 2023. She released her single "Water" in the first half of the year and it slowly climbed its way up the charts eventually becoming a smash hit. The song currently sits with more than 670 million streams on Spotify. It even got a remix late last year featuring an assist from Travis Scott with that version generating more than 50 million streams of its own. It all led to her self-titled debut album which dropped earlier this year. The project sparked even more success for the R&B star with songs like "Jump" and "Truth Or Dare."

But now she's found herself having to address some fan concerns. After apparently seeing one too many accusations of colorism online she felt the need to respond. "Yoh guys. 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," her statement begins. "I don't expect to be classified 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. As a woman for the culture. It's and not or... with that being said ASAMBEEE" she concludes. Check out the full statement below.

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Tyla Responds To Colorism Claims

In the replies, fans seem unequivocally supportive of Tyla, insisting she not listen to the critics. "You don't need to explain yourself tyla, these people just need to educate themselves" one comment reads. "I love how you’ve stood your ground on this particular matter" and "Just ignore them Tyla" two others agree.

What do you think of Tyla's lengthy new Twitter post addressing allegations of colorism made against her? Do you agree with fans that she should ignore those criticizing her and focus on doing her best work possible? Let us know it the comment section below.

Read More: Tyla Hilariously Relives Her Kai Cenat Rejection With "The Breakfast Club"

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About The Author
Lavender Alexandria
Lavender Alexandria is a music and culture journalist based in Los Angeles, California. She’s covered dozens of musical genres and styles from the most mainstream to the most experimental and underground on her blog and accompanying YouTube channel that looks at music, pop culture, and Billboard charts since 2017: Lav’s Music Corner. Lavender has produced editorial and listicle content both in written and video form over the past far years and has also interviewed up-and-coming artists like Censored Dialogue. Her experiences covering culture have taken her from Hyperpop parties in LA to underground rap shows in Atlanta, to DIY punk shows in Charlotte. Lavender has also written for iHeartRadio, covering some of the biggest artists in Hip Hop such as Ice Spice, Drake, Doja Cat and Cardi B. She also has bylines with ScreenRant and continues to write for Ringtone magazine. Lavender is a lifelong Charlotte Hornets fan and her favorite rap artists include Clipping, Little Simz, Earl Sweatshirt, and Kendrick Lamar.
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