What was expected to be a dream moment for Tyla at the 2026 Met Gala has now become the center of intense online speculation. The “Water” singer, who has long praised Rihanna as one of her biggest inspirations, appeared to share an awkward exchange with the global icon during fashion’s biggest night. Fans quickly dissected clips from the event, with many assuming Tyla had been brushed off by her idol. In fact, Tyla publicly downplayed the moment, but insiders now claim the interaction may have affected her more than she let on.
Insiders react to Tyla meeting Rihanna at the Met Gala 2026
As The Sun reports, Tyla had been especially excited about seeing Rihanna at this year’s Met Gala. The South African star has often credited Rihanna as a major influence on her music career and personal style. She even previously called her one of the artists who inspired her journey into global stardom.
However, fan reactions shifted after footage from inside the gala began circulating online. In the clip, Tyla appeared to approach Rihanna briefly before the interaction quickly ended. Social media users immediately started questioning whether Rihanna had intentionally brushed her off. What’s more, insiders claimed the moment likely affected Tyla more than she showed publicly.
“Tyla played it cool publicly,” one insider told the outlet. But privately, the source adds, it “would have been disappointing given how highly she has always spoken about Rihanna.” Another source claimed Tyla viewed Rihanna as the “blueprint” for the type of international artist she hoped to become.
Despite the growing chatter online, Tyla later attempted to calm the narrative herself. In a TikTok video, she admitted she “felt awkward” approaching the “Umbrella” singer because she seemed busy at the time. She also emphasized that Rihanna had been kind during previous interactions and suggested there was no obvious feud between them.
Behind the scenes, however, sources claimed Rihanna may not have been in the best mood during the evening. Insiders alleged that tensions involving her partner A$AP Rocky may have already frustrated her before the interaction with Tyla happened. Videos later showing Rihanna appearing upset while leaving the event added fuel to online speculation.
The post Tyla Was Disappointed by Rihanna but ‘Played It Cool Publicly’ — Insider appeared first on Reality Tea.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com ’
