Tyla Fires Back at Britney Spears Outfit Comparisons After Coachella Performance

South African singer Tyla has responded to social media buzz after fans compared her Coachella Weekend Two outfit to Britney Spears' iconic 2001 MTV Video Music Awards look.

The 23-year-old "Water" hitmaker wore a green floral bralette and denim shorts with beaded fringe and safety pins during her Friday performance.

The outfit, styled by Katie Qian using archived and custom Dolce & Gabbana pieces, immediately drew attention for its resemblance to Spears' outfit from her "I'm a Slave 4 U" performance, Billboard said.

While many fans saw the look as a tribute, Tyla made it clear she had no intention of copying Spears. Replying to a now-deleted post on X (formerly Twitter), Tyla stated, "Love her but I just thought the outfit was fly... no inspo."

Her comment sparked mixed reactions online. One user accused her of being a "copycat," prompting Tyla to fire back with a blunt response: "Personally I think you should stfu."

Despite denying the outfit was inspired by Spears, Tyla has openly shared admiration for pop icons from the early 2000s.

In a March interview with Billboard, she named Britney Spears, Aaliyah, and Whitney Houston as some of her musical influences.

Tyla also channeled Aaliyah's 2000 MTV VMAs look at the 2024 MTV EMAs, where she won multiple awards including Best R&B and Best Afrobeats.

Fans Split Over Tyla's Britney-Inspired Look

Social media was divided over Tyla's Coachella outfit. Some fans insisted the resemblance was too close to be a coincidence. "It's literally the same outfit," one user wrote. Another added, "Your stylist was definitely Britney inspired."

Others defended Tyla, calling the similarity a "happy coincidence" and insisting the performance was uniquely her own. "It's just a fit. It's Tyla," one fan commented, DailyMail said.

Tyla has addressed similar comparisons in the past. Speaking to Dazed magazine in 2024, she explained that most creative choices are not based on copying others. "It's never, 'Make the video look completely like this,'" she said. "It's getting boring now."

Tyla's appearance at Coachella marked an important step in her expanding international presence. Her performance highlighted her growing popularity and influence on the global music scene.

After releasing her debut album in March 2024, she has continued to evolve her sound and style. In a recent Nylon interview, she shared her excitement about new music and growth as an artist.

She shared that she is currently working on a new project and expressed excitement about exploring a fresh side of herself through the music. She's eager to discover how this new version of her will sound.

Tags

Tyla, Britney Spears