Tiwatope Savage –Balogun aka Tiwa Savage (born 5 February 1980) is a Nigerian Afrobeat award-winning songwriter singer and brand influencer. Tiwa Savage was Born in Isale Eko Lagos, she then relocated to London at the age of 11 for her secondary education. Five years later, she began her music career doing backup vocals for artists such as George Michael and Mary J. Blige. After participating in the UK edition of The X Factor and graduating from Berklee College of Music, Savage signed a publishing deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing in 2009. Inspired by the growth of the Nigerian music industry, Savage moved back to Nigeria and signed with Mavin Records in 2012.
Tiwatope Savage–Balogun was born on February 5, 1980, in Ikeja, the capital of Lagos State. The singer is secretive about her personal life, but it is reported that she has at least two brothers and one sister.
Her family relocated to London, UK, when she was 11, allowing the singer to receive a truly multicultural upbringing. While attending high school in the UK, Savage played the trombone in her school’s orchestra band. Savage attended the ‘University of Kent and received a degree in business administration, which has reportedly helped her navigate the intricacies of the international
music business. Following this degree, Savage worked for the ‘Royal Bank of Scotland’ for a while.
Having received an opportunity to sing backup vocals for Mary J. Blige, she decided to focus more intently on music. She received a scholarship to study professional music at the acclaimed ‘Berklee College of Music,’ from where she graduated at the age of 27. She then launched a successful career in music.
CAREER
Savage began her career at the age of 16, singing backup vocals for British pop star George Michael. Since then, she has sung with global sensations Mary J. Blige, Blue Cantrell, Emma Bunton, Kelly Clarkson, and Andrea Bocelli among others. She has shared stage space with leading performers such as Destiny’s Child, Sting, 50 Cent, ‘The Black Eyed Peas,’ Robbie Williams, Eminem, and other stalwarts.
In 2006, she entered the UK edition of the reality show ‘The X Factor while still at ‘Berklee.’ Although she advanced to the final 24, Savage recalls her stint at the show as a sobering sojourn into the dark side of fame. The singer allegedly had a difficult time adjusting to the spotlight and later described the news that she would not progress to the final 12 as “painful.”
In 2009, she was able to finalize a songwriting deal with industry giant ‘Sony/ ATV,’ which helped her write gigs with Fantasia Barrino, Monica, Babyface, and Mýa. The most notable of these collaborations include her soul-influenced ballad with Monica, ‘Catch Me.’ Another noteworthy collaboration was for ‘Collard Greens & Cornbread’ with Fantasia, which received a ‘Grammy nomination the following year.
Savage wrote Kat Deluna’s single ‘Push Push’ (featuring DJ David Guetta and Senegalese sensation Akon) and Bajan pop musician Jaicko’s song ‘Oh Yeah’ (featuring American rap giant Snoop Dogg) during this period. She also sang background vocals in Whitney Houston’s final studio album ‘I Look to You (2009).
In 2011, the singer made her acting debut with ‘For Coloured Girls,’ the Nigerian adaptation of an American play. She also became the first female African musician to sign an endorsement deal with ‘Pepsi.’ She also co-hosted the second season of ‘Nigerian Idol with MC IllRymz.
After a meeting with Tunji Balogun, her future husband and the then-A&R operative at ‘Interscope Records,’ Savage became aware of the rapidly growing Afropop scene back in Nigeria. Looking to finally build a solo career, she moved back to Nigeria, where she initially faced some hostility. However, she persevered and soon set up ‘323 Entertainment,’ her own label imprint, with Balogun.
‘323 Entertainment’ soon began collaborating with award-winning Nigerian producer Don Jazzy’s newly minted label, ‘Mavin Records.’ Savage herself signed with ‘Mavin’ in 2012 and later featured on their 2012 compilation, ‘Solar Plexus.’
‘Mavin’ and ‘323’ jointly released Savage’s first single, ‘Kele Kele Love,’ to huge success and acclaim, before following it up with ‘Ife Wa Gbona,’ ‘Without My Heart,’ and ‘Love Me (3x).’ These singles eventually supported her debut album, ‘Once Upon a Time (2013), which was ultimately nominated for several awards.
In 2013, Savage furthered her acting career with an appearance in the ‘MTV’ series ‘Shuga.’ She soon declared that she wished to act more and had “the knack” for it. She also signed endorsement deals with ‘MTN Nigeria,’ ‘Nestlé’-owned ‘Maggi,’ and ‘Forte Oil.’
She released promotional singles (‘Love in Yellow’), collaborations with label-mates (‘Dorobucci’), and music videos (‘Wanted’ from her debut album), in 2014. ‘Wanted’ elicited massive public backlash across social media platforms. Undeterred, Savage performed at the 2014 ‘MTV Africa Music Awards,’ alongside Miguel, Professor, and others. She also collaborated with several global artists on a song for ‘DSTV’s ‘Africa Rising’ campaign, to encourage African involvement in community-based social investment projects.
In 2016, she became the first Nigerian artist to sign with ‘Roc Nation,’ which negotiated a management and distribution contract with her.
Savage has released two studio albums, ‘Once Upon a Time (2013) and ‘R.E.D’ (2015). Her first single from her first album, ‘Kele Kele Love,’ was immensely successful.
The singer has earned several nominations and has won a number of awards over her long career. Some of her most noteworthy wins were the ‘MTV Africa Music Award’ for ‘Best Female’ (2014), two ‘Headies awards (2012, 2014), two ‘Channel O Music Video Awards (2012, 2014), and one ‘Nigeria Music Video Award’ for ‘Best Highlife’ (2012). She was also nominated for a ‘BET Award’ for ‘Best International Act: Africa’ in 2014.
PERSONAL LIFE
Tiwa Savage was married to Tunji “Tee Billz” Balogun. On 23 November 2013, the couple held their traditional marriage at the Ark in Lekki. The couple’s white wedding was held on 26 April 2014 at the Armani Hotel in Dubai. On 1 January 2015, Savage and Balogun announced that they were expecting their first child together. Six months later, Savage gave birth to their son On 28 April 2016, Balogun accused his wife of infidelity and his mother-in-law of witchcraft. In a 45-minute interview conducted by This Day newspaper and Pulse Nigeria, Savage extensively addressed her husband’s lengthy social media posts regarding their marriage. She debunked her husband’s infidelity claims and accused him of financial recklessness, drug addiction, and abandonment. She said her marriage to him was over. On 19 July 2021, Tiwa lost her father after battling an undisclosed illness for a couple of years.
NET WORTH
Tiwa Savage is reported to be one of the richest female musicians in Nigeria as she has performed in numerous international shows. She is also a brand ambassador to a lot of distinguished brands in Nigeria and beyond. Tiwa Savage’s net worth is currently estimated at ₦5 Billion and also the richest female musician in Nigeria and possibly Africa.
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