Tyla’s recent appearance on ‘The Breakfast Club’ sparked controversy when she declined to discuss her Coloured ethnicity. The debate highlighted a cultural divide between South Africa, where Tyla is from, and the US.

In South Africa, “Coloured” signifies a mixed ethnic descent, including White, African, and Southeast Asian heritage, and carries a specific sociopolitical status shaped by the country’s complex history. This context is crucial to understanding Tyla’s identity.

The controversy stemmed from the different connotations of “Coloured” in South Africa versus “colored” in the US. In the US, the term “colored” (without the “u”) is a painful reminder of the Jim Crow era, carrying a dismissive and racist connotation for Black people.

Tyla took to X to clarify her stance, posting a screenshot of an iPhone note explaining, “I’m mixed with black/Zulu, Irish, Mauritian/Indian, and Coloured.” She emphasized that her Coloured identity is unique to South Africa and acknowledged her Blackness, stating, “I’m both Coloured in South Africa and a Black woman. As a woman of the culture, it’s ‘and,’ not ‘or.'” Her tweet taught an important lesson in cultural awareness and the importance of respecting identity nuances.