“I Felt Awkward” – Tyla Recounts Being Snubbed By Rihanna At Met Gala [Video]

South African singer Tyla has opened up about an awkward moment she experienced with her idol, Rihanna, during the 2026 Met Gala held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

The incident gained attention after a video from an after-party surfaced online, showing Rihanna appearing to snub Tyla without acknowledging her.

The video quickly sparked debate on social media, with many users accusing the global star of ignoring the younger singer.

The moment attracted even more reactions because Tyla has often spoken publicly about how much she admires Rihanna.

She has previously described the award-winning artist as one of her biggest inspirations and even linked that admiration to her connection with Trevor Noah.

While some social media users believed Rihanna intentionally brushed her off, others defended the singer, saying the venue was crowded and chaotic, and she was likely focused on moving through the event with her baby daddy, ASAP Rocky.

Addressing the controversy in a TikTok video, Tyla revealed that she approached Rihanna because she genuinely admires her and simply wanted to greet her briefly.

The singer said Rihanna was friendly at first, but suddenly ended the conversation because she was occupied.

“So I met her last night and she was cool. But I think she was occupied,” Tyla said of Rihanna.

“She was like, hey, um, my baby dad is calling me and then she left and I was like, “Oh, maybe she was busy.” So I don’t know. I felt awkward.”

The singer admitted that the short interaction left her feeling a little uncomfortable, stressing that she sometimes struggles to know how to approach people, especially when they already seem distracted or busy.

Tyla also revealed that she saw Rihanna again later that night while waiting for her car, but decided not to approach her a second time.

The singer said that she hopes any future meeting between them will happen in a more relaxed setting where they can properly talk and connect.

‘When we do speak if we do end up speaking ever, I want it to be like calm so we both can just, you know, vibe and talk nicely,’ she added.

The video has triggered mixed reactions on social media, with some people arguing that Rihanna’s quick exit came across as dismissive toward a younger artist who was showing admiration and respect.

Others, however, defended the billionaire singer and entrepreneur, saying she was likely dealing with the pressure and confusion of a busy event while also handling personal matters involving her family. Some fans even encouraged Tyla to delete the video, saying it could create unnecessary negativity around Rihanna.

Watch the video below:

KanyiDaily recalls that Rihanna previously expressed her interest in working on a song with Nigerian music sensations, Ayra Starr and Tems.