After Monday’s Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, one of the night’s most talked-about moments had little to do with fashion. Instead, social media became fixated on a brief interaction between Tyla and Rihanna.
The exchange at the end of the night lasted only seconds, but online it quickly evolved into an alleged snub, fuelling fan speculation, frame-by-frame video breakdowns and internet debate.
Tyla has responded to the rumours herself.
In a TikTok video posted on Wednesday, the South African singer responded to the viral clip that appeared to show Rihanna walking past her during the gala celebrations without properly acknowledging her. Rather than confirming the rumours, Tyla dismissed the speculation with humour.
“I met her, and she was cool, but I think she was occupied,” she explained in the video, chewing gum and wiping her eyes after waking up. According to Tyla, she approached Rihanna to say hello, only for the singer to quickly respond, “My baby daddy’s calling me”, before rushing off.
Tyla laughed as she recalled the interaction, adding, “I was like, oh. Maybe she was busy. I don’t know. I felt awkward. What the heck. I felt awkward, I don’t know how to say ‘hi’.
“I was waiting for my car and she was right there,” said the Chanel singer. “I don’t want to go up because I felt like she was busy. You know what I mean, the last time she was busy. I want to, like, 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.”
In the hours after the event, social media users had framed the exchange as evidence of tension between the two stars, despite Tyla repeatedly naming Rihanna as one of her biggest inspirations.
The speculation began after both artists attended this year’s gala on Monday, staged around the “Fashion Is Art” dress code, where a single ticket to the benefit sold for $100,000 (R1.6m) and a table for $350,000 (R5.7m).
Tyla arrived in a sexy Valentino gown that quickly became one of the night’s standout looks, blending a teal-aqua mermaid skirt with intricate crystal embellishments and peacock-style motifs in what fashion commentators described as a distinctly “mermaid-core” aesthetic.
Rihanna leaned into high-concept couture with a custom Maison Margiela ensemble inspired by oyster shells and ocean textures, another dramatic fashion moment from an artist who has long dominated the Met Gala conversation.
But it was a grainy backstage clip, rather than the clothes themselves, that captured the internet’s attention. Online commentators dissected every facial expression and interaction, even dragging A$AP Rocky into the discourse after separate footage surfaced of him speaking to Tyla during the night.
Tyla’s light-hearted response, however, appears to have dampened the rumours, reminding fans that not every brief celebrity interaction points to behind-the-scenes drama.
TimesLIVE
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