The conversation around Tyla‘s racial identity took a new turn with her latest collaboration with Gap.
Debate about Tyla’s race resurfaces after she debuts new Gap campaign
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Following the launch of the Tyla x Gap collection, discussions on social media emerged regarding the representation of racial identities in the music industry.
A fan’s comment about the ‘soft femme black pop girl’ aesthetic led to a debate about whether Tyla, a South African artist known for her Y2K-inspired fashion line with Gap, fits into this category.
Critics on social media challenged the application of this aesthetic to Tyla, with discussions pointing out the complexities of racial identity within the context of the industry’s marketing strategies.
“Interpreting “soft femme” as colourism speaks more to your biases than mine LMAO. it can absolutely be done by anyone (stream commas by Ayra Starr). It’s the industry’s fault that darkskin american girls with this aesthetic are never invested in,” one user wrote.
Another commenter said:
“She not Black. But this is also exactly what some ppl was trynna say in regards to the discourse… That she 100% will be marketed as a light skin Black/biracial woman in an industry & American market that’s full of colorism. & ppl will see it as that. This tweet is exhibit A.”
What race is Tyla?
Tyla, whose full name is Tyla Laura Seethal, is from Johannesburg and has a mixed heritage, including Indian, Zulu, Mauritian, and Irish backgrounds.
The discourse around her race was sparked before, by social media interactions, specifically regarding the use of the term “coloured” in South Africa—a designation stemming from apartheid-era laws.
This term, which refers to mixed-race individuals, has led to debates about its application and the broader discussion of racial identity in both South African and international contexts.
Experts in racial and ethnic studies have weighed in on the matter, noting the historical and social implications of racial classifications in South Africa.
Sybil Roberts, director of African American and African diaspora studies at American University, said in a quote from The Hill:
Typically, ‘native’ meant indigenous Black South Africans such as Zulu, Xhosa, etc. Ethnically, the ‘coloured’ were descended from two of the oldest cultures on the planet, the Khoi and the San, collectively referred to as the Khoisan. Over time, ‘coloured’ came to refer to mixed race South Africans, but this is controversial because of anti-miscegenation laws.
“So you have biracial and multiracial groups being designated as ‘coloured,’ but this is a malleable designation that during the apartheid years and shortly after was fraught with both legal and social challenges.”