Tyla has responded to the criticism she faced after describing herself as “coloured”, noting that the term reflects her South African identity and heritage. The 24-year-old singer encountered backlash in 2023 following a TikTok video in which she called herself “a coloured South African”. Tyla, whose father has Indian and Mauritian ancestry and whose mother has Irish and Zulu roots, drew objections from some users in the United States, where the word is often viewed as offensive. In South Africa, however, “coloured” is an official designation for people of mixed-race background and was one of the racial categories used during apartheid. In an Apple Music interview, Tyla said the initial response was challenging because she had never needed to explain the term before. She explained that growing up she was always identified as coloured on official forms in her home country. After traveling and learning about differing international contexts, she recognised the sensitivity of the discussion. Tyla noted that South Africa also has its own derogatory terms and understood why outsiders using them could cause distress. She added that conversations helped her see how the word represents both cultural identity and a painful history of division. While proud of her background, she described the experience as valuable for fostering dialogue. In comments to The Times, she observed that meanings vary by location and concluded the debate is unlikely to reach a final conclusion.
