As South African journalist Misa Narrates wrote for Afropunk in September, “Coloured is a term that identifies a community who have cultivated a culture, language, and overall identity that wasn’t related to their segregation, but rather to identify the newly established community.”
“Coloured” (again, with a u), was legally defined as a racial classification during South Africa’s apartheid, which lasted from 1948 until the early ’90s. It specifically refers to those who are neither white nor among Africa’s aboriginal groups. They are regarded as a separate race group in the country alongside those who identify as Black, white, and Indian. It does not have the same connotation as it does in America, where it does not feature a “u.” The community is incredibly diverse and doesn’t fit into America’s idea of racial binary.
Asked about her musical influences by Breakroom Africa in 2021, Tyla replied, “If you grew up in a Coloured home, you would know that I grew up listening to a lot of old school R&B [laughs] so that definitely has something to do with my sound.”
She’s also revealed her relatives are of Zulu, Indian, and Mauritian descent. Many South African fans have been quick to point out that her identifying as “Coloured” is a reminder that the world does not revolve around America, and South African artists do not need to “repackage” themselves for the world at large.
As South African comedian Dillan Oliphant said in a recent TikTok, “The world is bigger than you. … You can’t erase a whole identity to suit your comforts.”
