Tiwa Savage is a Nigerian singer and songwriter, she made it to limelight with her debut single, ‘Kele Kele Love’. Today, she’s debatably the biggest female singer in Africa due to her sultry voice, pulsating dance moves, and electrifying stage performance.
Family Background
Tiwatope Savage was born in Ikeja, Lagos State on February 5, 1980. She was raised in a multicultural home due to her migration from Nigeria to the United Kingdom, and from the United Kingdom to the United States. When she was eleven years old, her mother, Cecilia Savage, and her father have moved London to reside.
Education
The stunning singer is a graduate of Business Administration from Kent University, she once worked with Royal Bank of Scotland and expanded her music knowledge by enrolling at Berklee College of Music where she graduated with a degree in Professional Music in 2007.
Music Career
Nigerian singer and songwriter, Tiwa Savage, began her musical journey in year 1996, however, started making impacts in 2010, after she garnered different experiences from competitions, singing as back up vocalist with the likes of Kelly Clarkson, Mary J. Blige, Blu Cantrell, Emma Bunton, and a host of others.
In her early beginnings, Tiwa Savage as she’s profoundly called by her fans shared the stage with top international artistes, such as Destiny’s Child, The Black Eyed Peas, 50 Cent and Eminem. She competed on The X Factor (U.K) and made it to the top 24 in 2006.
Savage spent most of her teenage days working on her craft and establishing herself. In 2009, she got a major music deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing. This deal gave her more exposure and solidified her to write for top industry singers with due credits given to her. Savage wrote Jaicko’s “Oh Yeah” featuring Snoop Dogg, and Kat Deluna’s “Push Push” featuring Akon and David Guetta.
Before entering into the Nigerian music industry, Savage earned her very first Grammy Awards nomination in 2010 via her collaboration with Fantasia on the song “Collard Greens & Cornbread”. She became an instant force to reckon with on her arrival into Nigerian entertainment with her debut single ‘Kele Kele Love’ in year 2010.
‘Kele Kele Love’ was produced by Harmony Samuels, released under 323 Entertainment record label that she co-owned with her former manager and husband Tunji “Tee Billz” Balogun. The song threw Savage into the limelight and became bigger than she expected.
Tunji Balogun her manager then was a great player in her entry into the Nigerian music industry. She said that he was always there for her, encouraging her to hold on even when things were not right. She later dedicated a song for him titled “Written All over Your Face”. A verse says “I don’t feel like myself, When I’m with anyone else, You just get it right, That’s why I keep coming back, Time after time, and after time, Oh, baby, Oh. You get into my head, with what you do in my bed, Put me straight to sleep, Baby I’m falling deep, yeah, You do the things that make me weak”.
In 2012, Savage joined Don Jazzy-led Mavin Records. She released her first album ‘Once Upon A Time’ on July 3, 2013. The album was supported by seven singles—”Kele Kele Love”, “Love Me (3x)”, “Without My Heart”, “Ife Wa Gbona”, “Folarin”, “Olorun Mi” and “Eminado”.
Breakout Song(s)
Kele Kele Love, Ife Wa Gbona, Eminado, Wanted, Ma Lo, If I Start To Talk, Love Me, Love Me, Love Me, My Darling,
Album
Once Upon a Time (2013)
R.E.D (2015)
Extended Playlist (EP)
Sugarcane (2017)
Movies Featured
MTV Shuga Season 3 ‘Shuga Naija’ (2013-2014)
Awards
Dynamix All Youth Awards (2011) – Most Promising Act
FAB Magazine Awards (2011) – Most Stylish Female Artiste
Afrotainment Museke Online Music Awards (2011) – Best R&B Soul Song for ‘Kele Kele Love’
City People Entertainment Awards (2011) – Female Musician of the Year
The Headies (2012) – Best Vocal Performance (Female) for “Love Me (3x)”
Nigeria Music Video Awards (NMVA 2013) – Best Highlife for “Ife Wa Gbona”
MTV Africa Music Awards (2014) – Best Female
City People Entertainment Awards (2014) – Musician of The Year (Female)
African Muzik Magazine Awards (2014) – Best Female West Africa
2014 Nigeria Entertainment Awards – Female Artist of the Year and Best Pop/R&B Artist of the Year
2014 Channel O Music Video Awards – Most Gifted Female (for Eminado)
2018 MTV Europe Music Awards – Best African Act
Personal Life
In 2013, precisely November 23, Savage got married to her (now ex) manager and husband Tee Billz at a destination wedding in Dubai, they gave birth to their first kid, Jamil, on July 22, 2015 before their marriage crashed in 2016.
Scandals
In 2016, Tiwa Savage’s husband, Tee Billz accused her of infidelity, with claims that the Mavin Records songstress slept with Don Jazzy, 2Face Idibia, Dr Sid. He wrote; “With in what period of time did you Fuck jazzy and Dr Sid. And I dint care because the love I have for you. I looked at it that we all have a past even when at this same fucking time you were fucking with 2face.”
She countered Tee Billz’s allegations, also reveals that her husband was a womanizer, cocaine sniffer, and stole from her all in the name of being her manager. Tiwa who cried in while responding in an explosive interview revealed how her ex-husband lived off her money and how he went about leaving bills for her to pay.
Tiwa Savage was recently rumored to be in a relationship with Wizkid, the report became intense after they were seen making suspicious moves and poses at different occasions. She also disclosed she has a special relationship him on social media. The music diva on her Instagram, responded to questions on their relationship saying, “You already know how emotional I get so this is just making me teary.
“Forget music, you’ve been there for me even when you didn’t have to be. When I doubt myself, you call me ‘mama JamJam’ and put a smile on my face. My dear Ayo, mama JamJam loves you.”
Endorsements
Tiwa Savage became the first African female artist to be associated with the Pepsi brand after signing an endorsement deal with the carbonated soft drink brand. She has an endorsement deal with MTN Nigeria, she also has endorsement deals with Maggi and Forte Oil PLC.