Tiwatope Savage, known as Tiwa Savage, is a Nigerian singer, actress and songwriter. She was born on the 5th of February 1980 in Lagos State, Nigeria. She discovered her passion for music at a tender age, becoming a backup singer for Mary J. Bliss and Michael George. She relocated back to Nigeria in 2012 and became one of the most prominent female singers in Nigeria. Her 2010 hit single Kele Kele Love gave her the breakthrough in the music industry. In one of her interviews, Tiwa Savage said she didn’t see many brown-skinned women in the industry. Perhaps, her position in the industry will make a difference and change the narrative for newbies.
Who is Tiwa Savage?
Let’s talk about Tiwa’s biography, age, songs, educational background and net worth.
Biography and Educational Background
Tiwa Savage was born and raised in Nigeria before she relocated to the U.K. She moved to England when she was 11 years old to school. She has a Business Administration Degree from Kent University. Tiwa continued her music career by attending the Berklee College of Music on a scholarship. Before her graduation, she competed in the X Factor (U.K.), emerging among the last 24. Over the next few years, Tiwa Savage appeared at Whitney Houston I Look to you (2009). She also received credit for writing songs on a handful of albums, including Fantasia Grammy nominations.
Family
Tiwa Savage was born into the family of late Mr Savage and Mrs Cecilia Savage; she lost her dad late in 2021. She was formerly married to Tunji Balogun (Teeblliz), a union blessed with a boy Jamil Balogun in 2013. She divorced in 2018 and has since been a single mother.
Music Career
Tiwa Savage is one of the most prominent African female musicians, with many hits and international awards to her name. She started out as a supporting singer. She is known for dance-pop with a blend of Afro-Pop, Reggae, and contemporary R & B. Tiwa majorly sings in English and Yoruba. She was already famous in the entertainment industry before releasing her debut album Once Upon A Time in 2013. Tiwa Savage released hits throughout the decade and expanded her global reach, appearing at local and international shows. She played a vital role in the Soundtrack of the Lion King in 2019, putting her further on the global scene.
Tiwa Savage’s music career kick-started with her first single, Kele Kele love, produced by Samuel Harmony. In 2012, she was signed by Don Jazzy’s Mavin Records. She appeared on the compilation of Solar Plexus Label, leading to the release of her long-overdue debut album, Once Upon a Time, in 2013. R.E.D. Her Second Album was released with most production work handled by Don Jazzy. Savage signed a Contract of Management with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation in 2016, making an appearance at the music fest Made in America in 2017. Her E.P. Sugarcane was released in 2017, featuring the likes of Wizkid and Maleek Berry. She has worked with different artists such as Flavour, Reekado Banks, Patoranking, Duncan Mighty, Waje, Timi Dakolo, Skales, Dija, and Brandy, to name a few. She released another album which was titled Celia, in 2020. In 2021, she released another E.P. Water & Garri 2021. Some of her famous songs are:
- Koroba (2020)
- All Over (2017)
- Malo (2017)
- Eminado (2013)
- Lover Lover (2018)
- Dangerous Love (2020)
- Park Well (2020)
- Attention (2020)
- My Darling (2015)
- Kele Kele Love (2013)
- Somebody Son (2022)
Nominations and awards
She received her first award for winning the MOBO award for the Best African Act category. She also won prizes for Women Best Act at the 2014 African Music Award MTV Music Award in 2014. Tiwa was involved in helping raise money to build schools in Nigeria through the Youth Empowerment Project. She got the best RnB single for her music “Love Me” at the Headies in 2012. Nigeria Music Video Award presented her with the best costume in 2013 for Without My Heart. In 2014, Tiwa Savage was the first female Nigerian artist nominated for B.E.T. awards. 2014 and 2018, she was nominated as the Most Gifted Female in the Channel O Music Awards Show. She won the 2018 MTV Europe Music Award. In 2020 her 49-99 inspired by Fela Kuti and the Lagos lifestyle video got an award for Africa Video of the year by Sound City M.V.P. awards.
Tiwa savage net worth
Tiwa Savage is ranked as one of the wealthiest female artists in Nigeria, with a net worth of $9 million (Forbes, 2022). She has been endorsed by top companies like Pepsi, M.T.N., Forte Oil, Pampers and Maggi.
Conclusion
This self-acclaimed African bad girl has made a lot of impact in Afro-pop music. Her music has no boundary, as her popularity grows over the years. Despite other talented female musicians, she is still relevant in the entertainment industry.
