Nigerian singer and songwriter, Tiwatope Savage, popularly known as Tiwa Savage, has disclosed that her 2021 leaked sex tape was circulated as part of a bet, describing the incident as one of the most painful moments of her life. She also revealed that she has remained celibate for the past three years.
The Afrobeats star made the revelation in an interview with The Breakfast Club released on Tuesday, where she spoke about how the scandal affected her personal life, career, and mental health.
“When I talked about the sex tape … that’s how I was able to kind of like, try and get through it. But in hindsight, did I really deal with it? I don’t think so. I was hurt… I was a victim,” she said.
Savage explained that her then-boyfriend initially claimed the tape was leaked accidentally but she later learned it had been shared among his friends as part of a bet. “He said he was trying to save it, and then he pressed send by accident… I later on found out that it was a bet with his friends,” she revealed.
The singer added that many people assumed she staged the leak for publicity. “A lot of people thought, ‘oh, she’s not relevant anymore, and she’s doing this.’ And I’m like, guys, trust me, if I wanted to do that, I would have had better lighting,” she said.
Savage noted that attempts to pursue the case failed because of the emotional toll. “Me trying was just too traumatic for me to keep talking about it. I just wanted to move on from it,” she explained.
She admitted that the public backlash, especially attacks on her role as a mother, was more painful than the leak itself. “They brought my son into it and said I was unfit… my son’s gonna grow up and see this and he’s gonna be disappointed in his mom. That hurt me more than the actual thing,” she said.
The singer said the ordeal has influenced her music, with some songs still too painful to perform. “There were a lot of times I was crying, especially the first record. That took me like four attempts to record. Even now when I listen to the album, I skip that. I haven’t been able to perform it. It was tough,” she revealed.
Despite the trauma, Savage credited her family, particularly her mother, for supporting her through the period. “My mom called me and said, ‘don’t listen to them… I’m just happy that you’re enjoying yourself.’ Hearing my mom say that helped,” she said.
She also highlighted the role of therapy in her healing process and shared that her view on love and intimacy has changed. “I’ve gone like maybe three years without [sex]. I have to be with someone for me to even think about it. I don’t have toys… maybe that’s what people should get me for Christmas,” she joked.
