Tyla drops Nigeria tour date after xenophobia backlash
South African singer Tyla has removed Nigeria from her upcoming tour schedule following social media backlash regarding xenophobic violence in South Africa. The decision reflects the growing tension between the two nations' entertainment sectors and the pressure on artists to address political issues.
Why it matters
The situation illustrates how social media activism and geopolitical tensions can directly impact the global entertainment industry and artist touring schedules.
Following growing criticism across social media linked to South Africa's anti migrants attacks,, South African music star Tyla has removed Nigeria from the list of destinations on her upcoming A*Pop World Tour.
This comes few days after the Grammy-winning singer announced her global tour, which initially included a concert in Lagos on December 22 as part of Nigeria's busy "Detty December" entertainment season.
Neither Tyla nor her team has publicly explained why the Nigerian date disappeared from the schedule, but the decision follows an online backlash that questioned whether the concert should go ahead as violence against foreign nationals continues in South Africa.
The now-removed Lagos show would have marked Tyla's first headline concert in Nigeria. She visited the country in late 2024, spending time with artists including Rema, Ayra Starr and Tems, and told fans she hoped to return for a full performance.
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