Tiwa Savage facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tiwa Savage
2013 studio portrait of Savage
Born	Tiwatope Omolara Savage (1980-02-05) 5 February 1980 (age 45) Isale Eko, Lagos State, Nigeria
Alma mater	University of Kent, Berklee College of Music
Occupation	Singer songwriter actress
Notable work	Discography
Spouse(s)	Tunji Balogun ​ ​ (m. 2013; div. 2018)​
Children	1
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	Afrobeats R&B pop hip hop soul
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1996–present
Labels	323 Universal Motown Capital Island

Tiwatope Omolara Savage (born 5 February 1980), known as Tiwa Savage, is a famous Nigerian singer, songwriter, and actress. She sings in English, Nigerian Pidgin, and Yoruba. Her music mixes different styles like afrobeats, R&B, pop, and hip-hop. Tiwa Savage has won many awards for her amazing work in the Nigerian music scene.

She was born in Isale Eko, Nigeria. When she was 11, her family moved to London for her schooling. A few years later, she started her music journey by singing backup for big stars like George Michael and Mary J. Blige. After being on the UK version of The X Factor and finishing her studies at Berklee College of Music, Tiwa Savage signed a deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing in 2009. Seeing how much the Nigerian music industry was growing, she moved back to Nigeria. In 2012, she joined Mavin Records and appeared on their album Solar Plexus.

Her first album, Once Upon a Time, came out on 3 July 2013. It featured popular songs like "Kele Kele Love" and "Eminado". This album was nominated for top awards. On 19 December 2015, she released her second album, R.E.D. In June 2016, she signed a deal with Roc Nation. Tiwa Savage then released her first EP (Extended Play) called Sugarcane in September 2017. Both R.E.D and Sugarcane were nominated for Best Album at the Nigeria Entertainment Awards.

In November 2018, Tiwa Savage made history by winning Best African Act at the 2018 MTV Europe Music Awards. She was the first woman to win this award. In May 2019, she announced her new record deal with Universal Music Group and left Mavin Records. Her third album, Celia, came out in August 2020. Her second EP, Water & Garri, which mixes Afrobeat with soulful R&B, was released on 20 August 2021. She later announced a tour for this EP in North America.

Tiwa Savage's Early Life and Music Journey

Growing Up and Starting Music (1980–2009)

Tiwatope Savage was born on 5 February 1980, in Isale Eko, Lagos State, Nigeria. Her family is from the Yoruba ethnic group. When she was 11, her family moved to London. In secondary school, she played the trombone in her school's orchestra. Tiwa Savage earned a degree in accounting from the University of Kent. She then worked at The Royal Bank of Scotland.

At 16, she started singing backup for famous artists like George Michael and Mary J. Blige. She also sang for Chaka Khan, Emma Bunton, and Whitney Houston. In 2007, she graduated from Berklee College of Music with a degree in professional music. She felt inspired by the energy of the younger students there.

In 2006, Tiwa Savage took part in the UK version of The X Factor. She made it to the final 24 contestants. In 2009, she signed a deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing. This allowed her to write songs for artists like Babyface and Monica. Her song "Collard Greens & Cornbread," which she wrote with Fantasia, was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2010. Seeing the growth of music in Nigeria, Tiwa Savage moved back home and joined Mavin Records in 2012.

First Album and Big Deals (2010–2013)

In December 2011, Tiwa Savage co-hosted the second season of Nigerian Idol. She also started acting in a play called For Coloured Girls. She created her own record label, 323 Entertainment, with her former manager, Tunji "Tee Billz" Balogun. They got engaged on 5 February 2013.

After joining Mavin Records in 2012, she was a main artist on their album Solar Plexus. She worked with many producers to create her first album. Tiwa Savage released her first album, Once Upon a Time, on 3 July 2013. She named it to share positive stories from her life. She wanted to show other young artists that a girl from Isale Eko could become a star. The album had seven hit songs, including "Kele Kele Love" and "Eminado". It was nominated for Best Album of the Year at the 2014 Nigeria Entertainment Awards.

Tiwa Savage has also been involved in many projects to help young people and raise awareness for breast cancer screening in Nigeria. She helped raise money to build schools in her hometown. In July 2013, she signed a big deal with MTN Nigeria. She also signed endorsement deals with Pepsi, Forte Oil, and Maggi.

New Music and Roc Nation (2014–2016)

Tiwa Savage performing in 2012

On 31 January 2014, Tiwa Savage released "Love in Yellow" for Valentine's Day. In May 2014, Mavin Records released the song "Dorobucci", which featured Tiwa Savage and other artists. She also appeared on the remix of Patoranking's "Girlie O".

In June 2014, Tiwa Savage worked with other African artists on "Africa Rising" for a DStv campaign. This campaign aimed to inspire Africans to help their communities. The artists performed the song at a special event in Mauritius.

On 19 December 2015, Tiwa Savage released her second album, R.E.D. The letters stand for Romance, Expression, and Dance. The album featured many guest artists like Don Jazzy and 2face Idibia. It had popular songs like "My Darlin" and "Standing Ovation". The album was made available for free streaming and quickly became the most-streamed album on MTN Music. R.E.D was nominated for Best Album at the 2016 Nigeria Entertainment Awards.

In June 2016, news spread that Tiwa Savage had signed a deal with Roc Nation. On 29 July 2016, she confirmed this on her Instagram, becoming the first Nigerian artist to join the label.

Sugarcane and Global Recognition (2017–2019)

Tiwa Savage performed at Jay Z's Made in America Festival. She released her first EP, Sugarcane, on 22 September 2017. It included songs with artists like Wizkid. The EP explores themes of love and mixes Afropop, funk, and R&B. Sugarcane was nominated for Best Album of the Year at the 2018 Nigeria Entertainment Awards.

On 24 August 2018, Tiwa Savage performed a sold-out concert at The O2's Indigo venue in London. In November 2018, she won Best African Act at the 2018 MTV Europe Music Awards, making her the first woman to achieve this. She released the song "One" on 15 November 2018, which is about being thankful. On 2 December 2018, she performed at the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

In May 2019, Universal Music Group announced they had signed Tiwa Savage to a seven-year deal. This also meant she left Mavin Records. Her future music would be released globally through Universal Music. In July 2019, she was featured on "Keys to the Kingdom" from Beyoncé's album The Lion King: The Gift. On 5 September 2019, she released "49-99", her first song with Motown Records. The song's title refers to a line from Fela Anikulapo Kuti's song "Shuffering and Shmiling". The music video for "49-99" was praised for its colorful visuals and deep meanings.

"Queen of Afrobeats" Title

Around 2017, media outlets started calling Tiwa Savage the "Queen of Afrobeats." Magazines like Glamour and The New York Times used this title. However, Tiwa Savage herself has said that other female artists in the genre work just as hard and deserve recognition.

Recent Achievements (2020–2023)

In May 2020, Tiwa Savage was featured on the cover of Billboard magazine's "Africa Now" story, alongside Mr Eazi and Davido. In July 2020, she started the We Are Tired charity foundation in Nigeria.

On 28 August 2020, Tiwa Savage released her third album, Celia. It has 13 songs and features artists like Sam Smith and Davido. She named the album Celia to honor her mother and women worldwide. Celia was ranked 10th on Time magazine's list of the 10 Best Albums of 2020.

Her second EP, Water & Garri, came out on 20 August 2021. It has five songs and features artists like Nas and Brandy. Tiwa Savage described it as a "spiritual journey through music" that mixes Afrobeat with soulful R&B. In March 2022, she announced the Water & Garri North American Tour.

On 15 July 2022, Tiwa Savage received an honorary degree from the University of Kent. She was given a doctor in music award for her inspiring international music career.

Film and Royal Performance (2023)

In February 2023, Tiwa Savage announced that she co-produced a film called Water and Garri with Meji Alabi. The film's title was inspired by her EP. Tiwa Savage also plays the main character, Aisha, a fashion designer who returns home to face her past. She wrote and performed the film's original soundtrack.

On 7 May 2023, Tiwa Savage performed at King Charles III's Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle. She wore a special gown that showed off her Nigerian heritage. Her performance was highly praised.

Personal Life

Tiwa Savage was married to Tunji "Tee Billz" Balogun. They had their traditional wedding on 23 November 2013, and their white wedding in Dubai on 26 April 2014. On 1 January 2015, they announced they were expecting their first child. Six months later, Tiwa Savage gave birth to their son.

On 19 July 2021, Tiwa Savage's father passed away.

Influence and Recognition

Tiwa Savage was included in BBC's list of 100 inspirational and innovative women for 2017. She also made the Women4Africa 2022 Goldlist. Other artists like Ayra Starr have said that Tiwa Savage is one of their main musical inspirations.

Discography

Studio albums

• Once Upon a Time (2013)
• R.E.D (2015)
• Celia (2020)

EPs

• Sugarcane (2017)
• Water & Garri (2021)

Television and Plays

Images for kids

• 

  2013 studio portrait of Savage

• 

  Tiwa Savage performing in 2012

See also

In Spanish: Tiwa Savage para niños

• List of awards and nominations received by Tiwa Savage
• Tiwa Savage discography