South African breakout star Tyla has addressed a wave of online speculation about a possible rift with Rihanna after the two crossed paths at the Met Gala. A viral moment from the night led viewers to wonder whether the Barbadian icon had brushed her off.
Late last night, Tyla posted a candid video on TikTok to clear the air, speaking directly to the rumors in a no-frills, just-woke-up explanation. With her voice sounding raspy, she moved quickly to shut down the idea of any feud.
Quick facts
- Tyla responded to rumors of tension with Rihanna after the Met Gala.
- She addressed the chatter on TikTok shortly after waking up.
- Tyla said she “loves Rih” and that any awkwardness was about timing, not conflict.
- She recalled a prior meeting where Rihanna appeared preoccupied and left quickly.
- At this year’s Met Gala, Tyla said she held back out of respect and concern that Rihanna might be busy.
“I look crazy right now, but I just woke up. My voice is raspy,” she said at the start, setting the casual tone before getting into the details. “Basically, everyone knows I love Rih,” she added, making her position unmistakable.
Tyla explained that her interactions with Rihanna have been brief and simply didn’t line up in the right moment—rather than hinting at any bitterness. She pointed to an earlier meeting as the reason the situation stuck with her.
Recalling the first encounter, Tyla said Rihanna seemed distracted when they met. “So I met her last year, and she was cool,” she shared. “I met her, but I think she was occupied. I went up to her, and I was like, ‘Oh, hey.’ She was like, ‘Hey, my baby daddy is calling me,’ and then she left. I was like, ‘Oh, maybe she was busy.’”
That memory, Tyla admitted, left her feeling a little uncomfortable—so much so that it affected how she handled the moment at this year’s Met Gala. Instead of immediately approaching, she chose to wait and read the room.
“So I don’t know, I felt awkward. I don’t know how to say hi,” she said. “If I feel like someone is busy, it’s like… so this time, I was waiting for my car, and she was right there… I didn’t want to go up because I felt like she was busy. You know what I mean? The last time she was busy.”
Tyla emphasized that her choice wasn’t meant as a snub. She framed it as respect, explaining she wanted any future conversation to be easy and friendly rather than tense.
“So when we do speak, if we do end up speaking ever, I want it to be calm so we both can just vibe and talk nicely,” she added. The message landed as a clear rebuttal to the narrative that hesitation equaled hostility.
Before Tyla’s clarification, fans had dissected a short clip from the glamorous event, interpreting her pause as either a rejection or proof of friction between the two artists. One social post even captured the humor of the moment while tagging both women, with viewers joking about Tyla waiting for Rihanna in the background.
But Tyla’s explanation offers a more grounded picture—one rooted in nerves, admiration, and the complicated timing that comes with celebrity encounters. Since posting the video, her comments have been met with support online, with many praising her honesty and noting that meeting idols can feel awkward in real life, especially when they seem preoccupied.
