South African multi award-winning singer, Tyla debuted her new hairstyle for the festive season which was the classic Bantu Knots hairstyle.
She shared a series of images showcasing the hairstyle, a glimpse of her getting the braids, a Christmas tree and pictures of some art.
She captioned the post: “Merry Christmas.”
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Shortly after her post, the star found herself at the centre of an online discourse on X about the Bantu Knots hairstyle.
A social media user sparked a debate online suggesting that the “Water” hitmaker is copying Rihanna for the exact same hairstyle.
“The hair?? Like Rihanna in iHeart Radio awards 2014/2015 (Rhenna),” the user wrote.
The hair?? Like Rihanna in iHeart Radio awards 2014/2015 (Rhenna) 🧐pic.twitter.com/Wa4HmLPV6i
— Badgal ☈odo (@badgalrodo) December 31, 2025
While it is publicly known that the hairstyle originates from Africa, and Tyla of course is South African, this user is convinced that Tyla did the hairstyle because Rihanna once did it as well.
Now, many came to Tyla’s defense, expressing that Rihanna certainly did not invent the hairstyle and Tyla should be left alone, which I agree with.
“Did Bantu Knots originate from Rihanna??? Girl bye!!!!” a user commented.
“A girl with Zulu (Bantu) blood is wearing Bantu Knots but she copied a girl from Barbados?” another user wrote.
“She’s South African, she’s been doing them since she was 5, next!” another user added.
According to multiple online reports, Bantu Knots has been around for hundreds of years. It can be traced back to the Zulu (Nguni) tribes of Southern Africa, where they held great meaning.
The Bantu Knots, like many other African hairstyles, are deeply intertwined with cultural heritage, personal expression and resistance to societal norms.
These hairstyles are a reflection of a rich history of African traditions, beliefs, and values, and play an important role in Black identity.
A lot of celebs have done Bantu Knots whether it was for leisure purposes, gracing the red carpets, for music videos or simply just another hairstyle to do.
Celebs who have done the Bantu Knots hairstyle in the past:
In 2020, Adele posted a picture of her wearing a Jamaican bikini top with Bantu Knots as her hairstyle.
While the picture hasn’t been removed on social media, the singer faced backlash and many claimed that she was appropriating Black people’s culture by doing the hairstyle.
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In 2020, for the “Black is King” project, Beyonce did multiple braided hairstyles and one of them included Bantu Knots.
Masai Martin did the Bantu Knots hairstyle in 2022 and graced the red carpet for the premier of “Nope”.
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During her Spice Girl era in the 90s, Mel B was popularly known for rocking Bantu Knots and it even turned into her signature style.
As the popularity of this look has soared, hairstylists have reimagined the classic Bantu Knot.
What began as a traditional technique, where hair is sectioned, twisted and wrapped into spiraled knots, has evolved into a sophisticated art form.
Today, the style has transcended its simple roots, making way for more intricate and creative interpretations.
Different types of Bantu Knots:
We have the Bantu Knots locs. Yes, nowadays people with dreadlocks can also do Bantu Knots and even those with longer locs do this hairstyle.
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We also have the braided Bantu Knots that people lean more towards because of how creative and stunning they look.
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Another hairstyle done is the Bantu half-up half-down hairstyle which features braids at the front of the head and a weave at the back, with Bantu Knots serving as a separator between the two styles.
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There is a Bantu Knot mohawk which is basically your hair or weave being sectioned to three or four buns that are twisted into knots.
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The Bantu Knots hairstyle has turned into a versatile hairstyle that you can do with braids, a weave or your own hair. It really is up to you.
