Tyla Cuddles a Chimpanzee in New Photos, Netizens React: “Tyla Has That Michael Jackson Money Now”

• On Sunday, 14 December 2025, South African musician Tyla shared two pictures on her X (Twitter) account
• The moment captured in the photos reminded several social media users of Michael Jackson
• Some fans reacted with humour and admiration, while others expressed concern, warning against keeping the animal as a pet

Internationally acclaimed South African musician Tyla sent social media into a frenzy after sharing photos that reminded many users of a famous Michael Jackson moment.

Known for subtly paying tribute to both local and global icons through her fashion and performances, Tyla recently sparked conversation with her new photos. Tyla, who dominated headlines for her tour performance in Saudi Arabia, once again found herself trending after posting images that quickly drew comparisons to the late pop legend, Michael Jackson.

On Sunday, 14 December 2025, Tyla shared two photos on her official X (Twitter) account. In the pictures, the South African musician was embracing a chimpanzee. The post was captioned with a confounded face emoji, which left fans and critics to draw their own conclusions.

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See the photos below:

Netizens react to photos of Tyla cuddling a chimpanzee

The images immediately sparked reactions online. Many users were reminded of Michael Jackson’s iconic photos with his pet chimpanzee, Bubbles, while others took the moment further, reviving old conspiracy theories linking Tyla to the Illuminati. At the same time, some users expressed concern about animal welfare, cautioning against keeping chimpanzees as pets or supporting environments where wild animals are used for entertainment.

Here are some of the comments:

@MsLoriaEvadon asked:

“Are we entering the Bubbles age era, global superstar? 🙊🙉🙈We are here for all of it.”

@gtv_OC joked:

“This confirms the Illuminati allegations.’

@hausofmayhems reprimanded:

“Tyla, I love you, my sis, but please don't support these things. I know we all love animals and wanna cuddle or walk them (tigers), but it's not good for them, and it's just supporting their handlers. ☹️”

@Ikopima09 joked:

“Someone will soon say he wished he were that monkey. I am the person, by the way.”

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@Chloerosee07 advised:

“Oh my gosh, that baby chimp is absolutely precious, but it really shouldn't be kept as a pet. That's no way for a chimpanzee to live.”

@TechArtist6 asked:

“I have a lot of questions, and it’s not even about the monkey. What’s going on in the background of the 2nd frame?”

@ZeterZA joked:

“Sis got herself a bae chimpanzee. Tyla has that Michael Jackson money now.”

@pulengeinstein laughed:

“Gogo Maweni is proud.”

@joleen_official criticised:

“This might look cute at first glance, but it’s actually uncomfortable to see. Chimpanzees aren’t pets, and moments like this are exactly why people keep misunderstanding how dangerous and stressful this is for the animal.”

Tyla pays tribute to Khanyi Mbau during festival performance

In September 2025, Tyla paid tribute to Khanyi Mbau during her debut performance at the Global Citizen Festival, as reported by Briefly News.

During her debut performance, Tyla paid homage to multi-talented South African media personality Khanyi Mbau by recreating her iconic dance. Social media users expressed admiration and delight, with commentators praising Tyla's creative nod to Khanyi Mbau.

Source: Briefly News