Tyla says Rihanna was “occupied” at 2026 Met Gala, took call from “baby daddy” A$AP Rocky while she was talking to her, leaving her feeling awkward [VIDEO]
The singer addressed a circulating clip of her hesitating to approach Rihanna, clarifying a brief 2026 encounter where Rihanna excused herself for a call from A$AP Rocky.
A 72-second video of Tyla discussing her interactions with Rihanna at the Met Gala has gone viral on X via @redmedia_us, amassing over 3.9 million views. In the clip, filmed from what appears to be her bed with a raspy, just-woke-up voice, Tyla explains that she met Rihanna at the 2026 Met Gala. She said she approached to say hello, and Rihanna responded with a quick “hey” before excusing herself because “my baby daddy’s calling me” — a reference to A$AP Rocky.
Tyla repeatedly emphasized that Rihanna seemed “occupied” and “busy,” not rude. She said she felt awkward in the moment, not because Rihanna was dismissive, but because she did not know the etiquette for approaching someone who appeared distracted. The video was posted after separate footage from the 2026 Met Gala showed Tyla hesitating to approach Rihanna, leading to online speculation about a potential snub.
What Tyla Actually Said in the Video
The video opens with Tyla lying in bed, rubbing her eyes and speaking in a raspy voice. “I look crazy right now but I just woke up,” she says. “Everyone knows I love Ri — oh my gosh. So I met her last year and she was cool.” She explains that she approached Rihanna at the event, and Rihanna greeted her briefly before saying her baby daddy was calling and then left.
Tyla does not use the word “weird” in the video. She repeatedly describes Rihanna as “occupied” or “busy.” “I think she was occupied because I went up to her,” she says. “She said hey — my baby daddy’s calling me. And then she left.” She adds, “I felt awkward. What the heck? I felt awkward. I don’t know how to say hi if I feel like someone’s busy.”
The post from @RedMedia_us captioned the video as Tyla revealing how Rihanna acted “weird” towards her. That word does not appear in Tyla’s account. The caption also condensed and paraphrased her explanation, framing the interaction more negatively than Tyla described. Tyla ends the video by saying she hopes for a future interaction “when we both can just you know vibe and talk nicely.”
The Viral 2026 Met Gala Footage That Sparked the Conversation
The video was prompted by separate footage from the 2026 Met Gala, held on May 5, 2026. That clip showed Tyla standing in the background near Rihanna, appearing to hesitate or wait without approaching. The footage circulated widely on social media, with some users speculating that Tyla had been “snubbed” or that there was tension between the two.
Tyla’s video clarifies the backstory. She explains that her hesitation in 2026 was not because she was upset, but because she remembered the previous year’s quick interaction and did not want to interrupt Rihanna again if she seemed busy. “I didn’t want to go up because I felt like she was busy,” she says. “At the last time she was busy, so I — want to like when we do speak, if we do end up speaking ever, I wanted to be calm.”
Thus, her video serves as a direct response to online speculation, not an accusation. She expresses admiration for Rihanna throughout, opening with “everyone knows I love Ri” and closing with a desire for a calmer, nicer interaction in the future.
Social Media Reactions Criticize Tyla for Sharing the Story
The X post generated over 1,600 replies within hours. Many users criticized Tyla for making the video at all. “Why did she post this though? Like what was her point? She could’ve facetimed her friends and kept this to herself,” one reply read. Another wrote, “Ngl she shouldn’t have released this video because now any chance of meeting her a second time won’t happen due to this video.”
Other users defended Rihanna, arguing that she owes no celebrity an extended conversation at a crowded event. “Rihanna doesn’t owe you anything, you shouldn’t even be dragging her online,” one reply stated. Another wrote, “Rihanna can choose who she wants to talk to. It doesn’t have to be everyone.” A third comment added, “Girllll, Rihanna doesn’t owe you shit. Go sit down pls.”
Some users speculated about Rihanna’s mood that night, noting that she appeared distracted throughout the 2026 Met Gala. One reply said, “I honestly feel like Rihanna was not in the best of moods that night, like she was forced to come to the Met Gala… she didn’t feel like seeing people.” Others pointed to separate footage of A$AP Rocky that night as a possible distraction.
The Caption Framed the Interaction Differently Than Tyla Described
The caption of the original X post reads: “Tyla reveals how Rihanna acted ‘weird’ towards her after she tried saying Hello to her at the MET GALA: ‘I met Rihanna at the MET GALA and I went to say Hi and she was like Hi mmm zzzzzz my bady daddy is calling and I felt awkward, I didn’t know how to feel’.”
Tyla never said Rihanna acted “weird.” She said she felt awkward. The caption replaced her word “occupied” with “weird,” changing the tone of the story. Some users pointed this out in the replies. One wrote, “@RedMedia_us can yall not twist what she said she did not say she acted weird … yall tryna go start something for clicks and views.”
The caption also paraphrased Tyla’s retelling of the phone call in a more dismissive-sounding way than her original delivery. In the video, Tyla delivered the line flatly, as part of a longer explanation, not as a complaint. The framing of the post contributed to the backlash against Tyla, even though her own words were largely neutral and admiring.
Tyla’s Video Was a Clarification, Not a Complaint
Tyla’s video was filmed in response to the 2026 Met Gala footage that showed her hesitating. She did not post it unprompted. Her intention was to explain why she looked hesitant, not to criticize Rihanna. Instead, she refers to the earlier interaction as the reason she paused: she did not want to interrupt again.
As a result, Tyla never asks for an apology or said Rihanna was wrong. Tyla never called her rude. She repeatedly says Rihanna was “occupied” and “busy.” She calls the encounter awkward from her own perspective, not because of anything Rihanna did, but because she did not know how to act.
The video has been viewed millions of times. The caption that framed it as negative has been shared widely. Tyla has not posted a follow-up. Rihanna has not commented. The story now exists as a viral moment that Tyla likely did not intend to become a controversy.
Conclusion
A singer woke up, recorded a video from her bed, and tried to explain a moment that lasted seconds. Tyla said Rihanna was busy. She said she felt awkward. However, she never called Rihanna weird. The caption said she did. The internet decided she was complaining.
Now Tyla is being told she should have kept quiet. Rihanna has not said a word. Speak clearly and still be misheard. Stay silent and be ignored.
There is no right answer.
There is only engagement.