Why Tyla’s racial identity has rallied South Africans behind Coloured communities

Many young people are exploring what it means to embrace a label entrenched by apartheid that has evolved into a unique culture

When Tyla exploded on to the global music scene with her hit song Water, the South African singer did not just gain attention for her silky R&B vocals and viral dance moves. Tyla’s proud description of herself as “Coloured” has also caused controversy, particularly in the US, where the word has a painful racist history and is no longer in use.

The debates have highlighted the difficulties of discussing and dealing with often hyperlocal racism and identity issues in a globalised world, with words that can be deeply offensive in some countries reclaimed with pride in others.