Tyla is dismissing the haters after she seemingly asked Halle Bailey and Lil Nas X for help holding her MTV VMA trophy.
The South African singer and songwriter, 22, has been making waves since her smash hit “Water” debuted in 2023. During the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards on Wednesday, Sept, 11, the single received the award for best Afrobeat.
The Little Mermaid star, 24, and the “Industry Baby” hitmaker, 25, were onstage to present her with the award. However, the moment was overshadowed when social media users slammed Tyla for asking the stars if they could hold her moon man because it was too heavy for her.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(499x0:501x2):format(webp)/tyla-303-09122024-389c93e88f7d489482e5b23873b16be0.jpg)
“Oh my gosh,” the "Truth or Dare" artist said during the viral moment as Lil Nas X handed her the moon man. “You guys know me and holding awards. Yo, I cannot — I’m not strong enough.”
“Please, please,” she added, holding her moon man out to them as Lil Nas X hesitantly stepped up to temporarily take the award so Tyla could give her acceptance speech. A smiling Bailey, however, did not budge.
Tyla later used social media to clarify the situation, saying that she never asked the movie star to hold her award.
“Y'all make everything weird…,” the Johannesburg native wrote in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter) that evening following the event. “I was not asking my girl Halle… We just girls, STFU I WON A VMAAAA.”
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(710x212:712x214):format(webp)/tyla-BET-awards-performance-063024-1bbe38dac8204a0fb1e976a3f9cb61ab.jpg)
In late June, Tyla took the stage at the 2024 BET Awards to perform one of her latest hits, "Jump," featuring Gunna and Skillibeng.
The sultry single highlights her South African roots and her performance on Culture's Biggest Night matched — complete with her starting in a cage filled with dancers painted as a giant tiger, a subtle nod to her dedicated fanbase, the Tygers.
Stilt walkers also joined the set.
That evening, she took home wins for best new artist and best international act after receiving four nominations for the BET Awards.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(599x0:601x2):format(webp)/tyla-met-gala-2024-arrivals-e9fabb756acd490cb6e86d67c690f961.jpg)
The young star also made her mark in the fashion world this year after making her Met Gala debut in May — with a manicure that was dripped with diamonds.
PEOPLE caught up with Tyla as she gave reporters a glimpse of her nail art at The Mark Hotel before she made her way to the exclusive event. The singer said she wasn’t concerned about whether or not her nails would make it hard for her to eat.
"It doesn’t matter," she quickly replied. "It just looks cute!”
The diamond manicure perfectly complimented her Balmain gown made of sand that embodied an hourglass, inspired by "The Sands of Time."
Latest Stories
-
Ablekuma North: NPP struggling to avoid another defeat – Omane Boamah
3 minutes -
HEFRA embarks on assessment tour in Volta region to enforce health facility standards
11 minutes -
Volta regional minister pledges support for persons with disability
26 minutes -
Volta regional minister holds first statutory meeting of coordinating council for 2025
35 minutes -
WAFCON 2024 winner to receive $1 million after CAF announces 100% increment
42 minutes -
Richard Agyemang defends banking sector cleanup
44 minutes -
Kyiv hit by barrage of drone strikes as Putin spurns Trump’s truce bid
50 minutes -
Ghanaian entrepreneur Dr. Eunice Kwainoe honoured for outstanding Customer Service Excellence
55 minutes -
Re-constituted Financial Stability Council holds maiden meeting
1 hour -
‘We’re not feeling it’ – Food & Beverage boss says cedi recovery means nothing without tax cuts
3 hours -
Banking sector cleanup: Ex-NPP Youth Organiser refutes Frank Adu claims, says sector stronger than ever
3 hours -
Import taxes driving cedi to the brink – Food & Beverage boss
3 hours -
I was sure 2 months ago I’d get married, but not anymore – Reekado Banks
3 hours -
I’m getting old, need to start having children – Burna Boy
4 hours -
Diddy trial is ‘most expensive prostitution trial in American history’ – Expert
4 hours