Nandi Madida laughs off ‘toddlers calling her Nala’ jab

Singer and actress Nandi Madida has set the world alight with her role as Nala in Beyoncé’s hit visual album Black Is King, but many felt she went a bit too far when she claimed even toddlers at her son’s school called her by her character’s name.

It all started on Tuesday afternoon when Nandi took to Twitter to gush over the success of Black Is King, reflecting on how it had reached the playground.

“Dropped my son at school and it’s been a while (we haven’t been to school since March) and I realised today that to some of Shaka’s toddler school friends I am now ‘Nala’. I hear ‘Wow! Shaka’s mom is Nala. Black Is King!’ The power of Disney,” she wrote, with a laughing emoji.

While many found the tweet hilarious and cute, others questioned how toddlers could possibly link her to a fictional character.

As social media users went to war over her comments, Nandi found her name and “Nala” on the Twitter trends list.

Soon memes were flooding the TL as users weighed in on the star’s comments.

When your toddler child can barely talk and does not know Nala pic.twitter.com/jG0FxaT7IN

— Thobs (@thobekambane) September 1, 2020

Nandi: toddlers at my sons school called me Nala today …

South Africans: pic.twitter.com/4wr1jFH3Lo

— Wait!_What? (@Vuyani_i2000) September 1, 2020

Nandi played Nala on Black is king and i didn't even notice that and I've Watched Black is King 2 times pic.twitter.com/643pFVCoh6

— #BLACK _IS_KING (@Saba_Mfengwana) September 1, 2020

I would’ve believed her if she said the kids recognized her from BIK but to say they recognized her as Nala is a reach. How could toddlers have made that analysis of the film? https://t.co/qTV2P2fBJf

— khanya (@khanyamkuhlu_) September 1, 2020

Lebo Mashile stepped in to defend Nandi, claiming the star was being “bullied” unnecessarily.

Nandi o dirileng?

— Hoe Heritage Site ♿🌈 (@WheelsnToys) September 2, 2020

While she deleted the original tweet, Nandi did respond to the backlash, laughing it off.

“Even I am laughing at the comments. Twitter is the most entertaining platform. It’s an extreme sport and not for the faint-hearted. No-one is safe. You have to know how to laugh at yourself, “ she wrote.