There was no snub – Tyla addresses meeting Rihanna at Met Gala

Tyla has addressed a backstage moment from the 2026 Met Gala that got people talking after she was seen briefly interacting with her idol Rihanna, clearing the air that nothing awkward or intentional happened — just a hectic moment during a packed event

Speaking in a candid TikTok video shared shortly after the gala, the South African singer, who has often expressed admiration for Rihanna, explained how the brief exchange played out when she approached the global superstar.

“She was cool… I think she was occupied. I went up to her and was like, ‘Oh, hey, you know…’ and she was like, ‘Hey, um — my baby daddy is calling me,’ and then she left,” Tyla shared in the clip.

She went on to admit that the moment left her feeling a bit unsure, adding that she decided not to try again later in the night when she saw Rihanna again while waiting for her car.

“This time, yeah, I don’t want to go up because I felt like she was busy, you know what I mean,” she explained. “The last time she was busy. So I want it to be like calm so we both can just vibe and talk nicely.”

Tyla also noted that this wasn’t their first encounter, revealing she had briefly met Rihanna at the 2025 Met Gala, where she described her as “cool” but also preoccupied.

At the beginning of the video, she made it clear her excitement as a fan was still very much intact, saying, “I look crazy right now, but I just woke up. My voice is raspy. Basically, everyone knows I love Ri.”