SZA has publicly defended Tyla after the South African singer faced body-shaming comments following her appearance at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards. SZA liked and commented on an Instagram post from evie magazine that pushed back against the criticism, writing, “This can’t be real ? lol she’s drop dead gorg. Wrap this shit the fk up !!!”
Tyla attended the September 27 ceremony at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater as a presenter, where she introduced LISA’s performance of “SaWaDiKa.” Her red-carpet look quickly became one of the night’s most discussed fashion moments: a turquoise-and-gray snakeskin two-piece from Nigerian designer Mowalola’s Spring/Summer 2027 collection, featuring a structured plunging bra top and an extremely low-rise pencil skirt.
The outfit exposed much of Tyla’s midriff and featured a matching snakeskin choker, pointed pumps and a diamond Chopard watch styled as an anklet. The look leaned into the Y2K revival that has become increasingly visible across contemporary pop fashion, while matching the singer’s willingness to make her body part of her visual presentation.
Tyla has previously spoken about treating fashion as an extension of her artistry, including the idea that “my body is the outfit.” At the VMAs, however, some social-media users shifted the conversation away from the styling and toward her body, with comments focusing on the size of her waist and questioning why she continues to wear revealing clothes.
Those comments prompted a different conversation around the standards being applied to female artists online. Posts criticizing Tyla’s appearance were widely challenged by users who pointed out that she remains visibly slim, while others argued that social media has increasingly distorted perceptions of what constitutes an “ideal” body.
SZA’s response added a high-profile voice to that pushback. By both liking the defense post and leaving her own comment, the singer made clear that she saw the criticism as unnecessary, praising Tyla’s appearance while telling commenters to end the discussion.
The exchange comes as Tyla prepares to enter another major phase of her career. Her A*Pop World Tour, supporting her July 24 album A*Pop, begins October 12 at Zénith Paris before moving through Europe and the U.K., followed by a 17-date North American leg beginning November 12 and African dates in December and January.
Photo: Tyler Vosburg / MTV VMAs
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