Award-winning singer and songwriter, Tiwa Savage, has opened up about her early days in music, revealing that her image as a sultry star was never part of her natural personality. According to her, she was originally a tomboy, and it was her ex-husband and former manager, Tunji Balogun, also known as Teebillz, who completely transformed her look and style.
Speaking during a candid conversation on the Afrobeats Intelligence podcast with Joey Akan, Tiwa recalled how her journey began in the U.S. as a behind-the-scenes songwriter.
“I used to be a songwriter in the studio wearing baggy jeans and a t-shirt. That was my style,” she said. “I was not like that in L.A. when he met me.”
It was only after returning to Nigeria and pursuing a career as a performing artiste that everything changed. “TJ [Tunji Balogun] saw that there was a gap in the market and he was just like, you’ve to lose weight, you’ve to go to the gym, you’ve to start waxing your eyebrows. You’ve to start wearing wigs. He literally changed my whole appearance.”
Tiwa added that the shift in her style was strategic. “He was like, let’s give them the African Rihanna or Beyoncé. I was like, okay, let’s go ahead.”
But the bold switch to a more glamorous and sensual image came with its challenges. Recalling her 2024 single Wanted, she explained that the sexy visuals weren’t just about appearance—they were a statement.
“The sexiness in my Wanted video felt groundbreaking at that time. Because I just got married and there’s a lot of press saying, ‘She’s not going to be desirable anymore. She’s finished. Her time is gone.’ So, I was just like, let me do something crazy.”
“That was me being rebellious. I was like, Oh! You guys think I’m not sexy anymore? To be honest, that wasn’t the aim, to just try to be sexy. Because naturally, I’m not. Naturally, I’m a tomboy.”
However, the public didn’t all embrace the new Tiwa Savage. The backlash was intense, especially from conservative circles.
“I would go to shows and I would be waiting backstage and they wouldn’t call me because maybe the governor’s wife had said I can’t come up or they’d say, make sure you don’t wear any of those your skimpy dresses. I’m not making this up.”
She even faced censorship on television. “There was a time, Love Me was banned on TV. I was discouraged.”
But despite the setbacks, she stayed the course. “I remembered Bizzle called me and told me ladies were loving me, so I came back to Nigeria.”
Tiwa Savage also shared how tough it was to find her place in the Nigerian music scene early on. “I’ve told the story where I went to all the labels and they all said no—Storm Records, Mo’Hits, Banky W’s EME—everyone.”
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