Kenyan media personality Chiki Kuruka has criticised the body-shaming comments aimed at South African singer Tyla after her appearance at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards.
Tyla became the subject of online discussions about her appearance, with some social media users focusing on her slim body rather than her performance and achievements.
Chiki has now challenged the criticism, questioning the growing pressure on women to have extremely thin bodies.
According to Chiki, society appears to be moving back toward the “size zero” beauty standards that were widely associated with the 1990s.
She argued that the renewed focus on very thin bodies should not be presented as a genuine concern about health.
Chiki said the shift was worrying because conversations around women’s bodies can easily become harmful when appearance is treated as a measure of health or beauty.
She also pointed to the mental health concerns that surrounded extreme beauty expectations in earlier decades, suggesting that the current trend could create similar pressure for young women and girls.
Her comments come at a time when social media has made discussions about celebrities’ bodies increasingly common. Photos and videos can quickly attract thousands of comments, with users often debating whether a person’s body is too thin, too large or considered ideal.
Chiki’s remarks have added to the wider conversation about body image and the expectations placed on women in the public eye.
Rather than judging Tyla’s appearance, she encouraged people to question why extreme thinness is being promoted as a desirable standard.
The debate also highlights the difficulty of separating genuine health discussions from comments based purely on appearance. A person’s body shape alone cannot provide a complete picture of their health.
For Chiki, the focus should be on avoiding harmful beauty standards and allowing women to exist without constant scrutiny over their bodies.