Nigerian Queen of Afrobeat, Tiwatope Savage known professionally as Tiwa Savage clocked 41 years old recently.
Tiwa Savage was born on the 5th of February of 1980 in Lagos, Nigeria. At the age of 11, she moved to the United Kingdom for her secondary education, and this move would expose her to a different life than the one she was used to in Nigeria.
In 2010, Tiwa released her hit single, ‘Kele Kele‘ which was a commercial success and launched her into the music scene.
In 2013, she released her debut album, “Once Upon a Time” under the imprint of Mavin Records and 323 Entertainment imprint. The 21 tracks album contained hits like ‘Eminado’, ‘Wanted’, ‘Baby Mo’, ‘Love Me 3x’, e.t.c
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Life before Mavin records
While a lot of people know Tiwa the Nigerian singer, most don’t know a lot about her early days. Tiwa found music during her secondary days in London where she was a Trombone player for her school’s orchestra band. At the age of 16 Tiwa was also opportune to sing backup for George Michael.
The Diva entered the University of Kent where she graduated with a degree in Accounting and later worked in the Royal Bank of Scotland where she worked as a trainee accountant.
She actually left her job after she started gigs to be a backup singer for artists such as Mary J. Blige, Chaka Khan, Blu Cantrell, Emma Bunton, Kelly Clarkson, Andrea Bocelli, and Ms. Dynamite.
After being encouraged by Keith Richard, She enrolled at Berklee College of Music where she graduated with a degree in professional music in 2007. While studying for her second degree, she participated in the 2006 UK edition of The X-factor.
While in the competition, she made it to the final 24 but couldn’t get through the latter stage which was the final 12.
In 2009, Savage signed a publishing deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing. The deal allowed her to write for artists like Babyface, Kat Deluna, Fantasia, Monica, and Mýa. She also received songwriting credits for her contribution to Monica‘s soul-tinged ballad “Catch Me”.
Tiwa alongside other producers wrote a song called “Collard Greens and Cornbread” that made it onto Fantasia’s ‘Back to Me‘ album which earned the American recording artist a Grammy nomination in 2010.
She also performed background vocals on Whitney Houston‘s album I Look to You which was released in 2009.
Life in Mavins/After Mavins
In 2010, Tiwa came back to Nigeria at the suggestion of her Ex-husband, Teebillz. Back in Nigeria, she and Teebillz set up a label called 323 Entertainment Imprint under which she released ‘Kele Kele’.
In 2012, She got signed to Mavin record which Don Jazzy had just established and the two collaborated on the song titled “Without My Heart”.
She was one of the lead acts on the label’s compilation album Solar Plexus which was released in 2012.
Under the umbrella of the label she released two albums, “Once Upon a Time” and “R.E.D” and one EP, “Sugarcane” which were all successful projects.
In 2019, she left Mavin Label and joined Universal Music Group where she released her first album under the imprint and third studio album, ‘Celia‘ in 2020.
Tiwa was one of the African Artists to be featured on Beyonce‘s s soundtrack album The Lion King: The Gift. She appeared on the track, ‘Keys to the Kingdom’ alongside Mr Eazi.
Despite the controversies that have followed her almost decade-long career which includes the crash of marriage to Teebillz and the backlash she got as a result of her rumored affair with Wizkid, Tiwa has risen above it all proving to be an unsinkable ship.
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Over the years, Tiwa has been featured in various collaborations with both Nigerian and international artists. She has won awards like Chanel O Music Awards, AFRIMA, Headies, MTV Africa Music Awards, MTV Europe Music Awards, Nigerian Entertainment Awards, City People Awards, e.t.c
She has also been nominated for a MOBO Award, BET Award, World Music Awards, and others.
Not many Nigerian Artists at 41 can boast of the achievements Tiwa has acquired in her the span of her career. The mother of one is undoubtedly the Nigerian Queen of Afrobeat and it would more take a lot for any other female artist to beat her record.