Kayla Nicole turned heads at the 2025 Ebony Power 100 Gala, joining an impressive roster of stars including Tracee Ellis Ross, Iman, Winnie Harlow, and Shaquille O’Neal.
As reported by USA Today, Nicole graced the red carpet in a stunning bright yellow gown, confidently posing for photographers at the annual celebration that recognizes trailblazers in entertainment, sports, media, and culture.
The Ebony Power 100 Gala red carpet was filled with standout looks, with stars like Marsai Martin, Ari Lennox, and Karrueche Tran also making appearances.
The glamorous event came on the heels of a wave of online buzz surrounding Kayla Nicole. On Halloween, Nicole shared a video recreating scenes from Toni Braxton’s iconic “He Wasn’t Man Enough” music video. The clip quickly went viral, partly because of her past relationship with Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce, who is now engaged to Taylor Swift.
Many viewers speculated that the Halloween homage subtly referenced her former relationship, sparking renewed interest in Nicole’s social media activity.
Days later, Swifties on X (formerly Twitter) began digging up and sharing old tweets from Nicole’s account that dated back to the early 2010s.
The resurfaced posts quickly caused an uproar online, with users describing the tweets as containing offensive language, including comments deemed racist, homophobic, sexist, and ableist. As screenshots continued to circulate, the account linked to Nicole was deleted.
The deletion sparked even more discussion, with many pointing out the timing—coming right after the Halloween costume conversation and the renewed attention around her social media. Nicole has yet to publicly address the resurfaced tweets or the removal of her account.
Before the controversy, Nicole had been candid in interviews about refocusing her career. In an October chat with People, she opened up about transitioning toward podcasting, fitness, and wellness content.
She currently hosts The Pre-Game With Kayla Nicole, a weekly show that blends pop culture discussions with guest interviews. She’s also the founder of Tribe Therepē, a wellness and fitness brand that provides curated workout programs and guided content. The brand, formerly known as Strong Is Sexy, underwent a full rebrand and relaunch.
Nicole told People that her workdays vary as she balances content creation, wellness programming, and fashion ventures. She emphasized the importance of protecting her mental health while navigating public scrutiny. “I can’t control the headlines,” she said. “All that I can control is how I navigate through it.”
