Tiwatope Savage-Balogun[4] (born 5 February 1980), higher recognized by her stage title Tiwa Savage, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, performer and actress. She is at present signed to Sony/ATV Music Publishing as a songwriter.[5] Savage signed a recording contract with Mavin Records in 2012.[6] She co-wrote the observe “Collard Greens & Cornbread” off Fantasia Barrino‘s Grammy-nominated album, Back to Me.[7] Savage was featured on Solar Plexus, a compilation album launched by Mavin Records.[8] Her debut studio album,Once Upon a Time, was launched on 3 July 2013. It was supported by the singles “Kele Kele Love“, “Love Me (3x)”, “Without My Heart”, “Ife Wa Gbona”, “Folarin”, “Olorun Mi” and “Eminado“. Savage’s second studio album, R.E.D, was launched on 19 December 2015. It produced the singles “My Darlin'”, “African Waist” and “If I Start To Talk”. Savage sings in English andYoruba.[9] As a singer, her achievements embrace one MTV Africa Music Award, twoThe Headies Awards, one Channel O Music Video Award, one Nigeria Music Video Award, and two City People Entertainment Awards, amongst others.

Tiwa Savage was born in Ikeja, the capital of Lagos State. Her household relocated toLondon when she was 11 years previous. While attending highschool, she was a tromboneparticipant for her faculty’s orchestra band. Savage had a wholesome upbringing; she grew up in a multicultural setting as a result of her migration from Nigeria to the United Kingdom, and from the United Kingdom to the United States. After graduating with a level in Business administration from theUniversity of Kent, Savage began working at The Royal Bank of Scotland.[10] She did backup vocals for George Michael on the age of 16, and lent vocals to different musicians akin to Mary J. Blige, Chaka Khan, Blu Cantrell, Emma Bunton, Kelly Clarkson, Andrea Bocelli, and Ms. Dynamite, amongst others.[6][9]Furthermore, she has carried out on stage with Sting, 50 Cent, The Black Eyed Peas,Eminem, Robbie Williams and Destiny’s Child, to call just a few.[6], she is at present signed to Roc Nation a file label owned by Jay Z

Savage enrolled at Berklee College of Music and graduated with a level in skilled music on the age of 27. While reminiscing about her experiences there, she stated she was motivated by the drive and fervour of the youthful college students. She additionally stated she wanted the college’s environment. Savage spoke briefly on the challenges musicians face throughout their transition from backup to steer, and stated that artists face extra scrutiny when their performances are mediocre. Her enterprise background has helped her totally perceive the scope of the Nigerian music trade. Savage spoke about her enterprise background and stated that her stage of professionalism doesn’t make her prone to deception.[10]

In 2006, Savage participated within the UK edition of The X Factor and superior to the ultimate 24 whereas attending the aforementioned music faculty.[9] While taking part within the in style music competitors franchise, she had problem coping with the limelight. “You have to always realize that people are watching. When I got the bad news that I wasn’t getting through [to the final 12] it was a really painful time. But you still have to learn how to hold that until you get home. Because you don’t want to just let everything out. People admire you and want to see that you’re strong; they don’t want to see you breaking down” stated Tiwa.[10]

In 2009, Sony/ATV Music Publishing signed Savage to a music deal. The deal solidified her to write down for Babyface, Kat Deluna,Fantasia Barrino, Monica and Mýa. She has acquired songwriting credit for her contribution to Monica’s soul-tinged ballad “Catch Me“. Moreover, her collaboration with Fantasia on the music “Collard Greens & Cornbread” earned the American recording artist a Grammy nomination in 2010. Savage wrote Jaicko‘s “Oh Yeah”, that includes Snoop Dogg, and Kat Deluna‘s “Push Push”, that includes Akon and David Guetta. In as a lot as she likes writing for different artists, she finds writing for herself extra rewarding. Savage carried out background vocals on Whitney Houston‘s album I Look to You (2009).[10]

In December 2011, she co-hosted the second season of Nigerian Idol alongsideIllRymz. Moreover, she made her movie debut with Joke Silva and Ireti Doyle within the stage adaptation of For Coloured Girls. Savage turned the primary African feminine artist to be related to the Pepsi model after signing an endorsement take care of them.[10]

Savage has been concerned in lots of youth empowerment and breast most cancers screening initiatives throughout Nigeria.[9][11] Savage helped increase cash for an organisation that construct colleges in her hometown. In July 2013, Savage signed an endorsement take care of MTN Nigeria reportedly price ₦30 million.[12] She additionally signed endorsement offers with Pepsi,[13] Forte Oil,[14] andMaggi.[15]

When Savage stepped onto Nigeria’s musical panorama, she did not know what to anticipate. Moreover, she acquired plenty of ridicule and hostility from individuals who believed she would not make it. She stated that quite a few individuals tried to discourage her from settling in Nigeria. Moreover, individuals advised her that she would not be welcome as a feminine singer. Furthermore, they stated that she would not have the ability to share the identical stage with the likes of Tuface and Wizkid. Savage did not enable individuals’s unfavourable connotation of her discourage her from doing music. She launched her debut single “Kele Kele Love“. The music made its strategy to the highest of a number of Nigerian music charts.[11]

Savage established her personal label imprint, 323 Entertainment, along with her then-supervisor and husband Tunji “Tee Billz” Balogun whom she acquired engaged to on 5 February 2013.[16] She joined Don Jazzy‘s Mavin Records in 2012 after the label she co-owns teamed up with the chief producer. She was one of many lead artists on Solar Plexus, the file label’s first compilation album.[6][9]

Savage began recording her debut studio album in 2010. She networked with Berkleealumni Keith Harris, Derek Pate, Scott Coleman, Radar Ellis, and Darien Dorsey whereas attending the aforementioned music faculty. During her interview with Brenda Pike, she stated she collaborated with producers Chuck Harmony, Warren “Oak” Felder, and So Sick (Da Grin), amongst others. Moreover, she stated that her debut album will embrace data in her native tongue.[10]

Savage was featured on Flavour N’abania‘s “Oyi Remix” in 2012. Prior to collaborating with Flavour, she recorded her personal model of the music.[17] In celebration of Nigeria’s 52nd independence, Savage carried out her rendition of “Arise, O Compatriots” for Ndani Sessions.[18] In November 2012, Savage collaborated with Waje, Praiz, Timi Dakoloand Pamela Egoh on the Ovation Red Carol Theme Song “Higer”.[19]

In May 2013, Savage held an album listening celebration on the Wheat Baker Hotel inIkoyi. She revealed the complete tracklist of the album and introduced Iceberg Slim,Sarkodie and General Pype as featured acts.[20] On 3 July 2013, she launched her lengthy awaited debut album, Once Upon a Time, to the Nigerian public. The album was launched on iTunes a day earlier than the Nigerian launch. Savage named the albumOnce Upon a Time with the intention to painting the optimistic tales about her life. She stated she needed to encourage different upcoming artists by telling them that, as soon as upon a time, she was just a little lady in Isale Eko who dreamt of being a star. The album contains political songs like “Middle Passage” which is in regards to the struggles of African males out of the country.[11]

On 31 January 2014, Savage launched “Love in Yellow”, a promotional single meant to have fun Valentine’s Day 2014. The music, which has a retro R&B and Funk sound, was produced by Spellz.[21] Savage was featured on Reekado Banks‘s 2014 single “Turn It Up”, which was produced byDon Jazzy.[22] On 1 May 2014, Mavin Records launched “Dorobucci” that includes Savage, Don Jazzy, Dr SID, D’Prince, Reekado Banks, Korede Bello and Di’Ja. The music, which was produced by Don Jazzy, is the file label’s first collaborative launch for the reason that launch of the Solar Plexus album in 2012.[23][24]

On 19 May 2014, Foston Musik premieredPatoranking‘s “Girlie ‘O’ Remix” that includes Savage. The music was produced byWizzyPro.[25] The music video for the music was shot and directed in London by Moe Musa. It was uploaded onto Patroranking’s Vevo account on 20 May 2014, at a complete size of four minutes and seven seconds.[26] On 7 June 2014, Savage carried out on the 2014 MTV Africa Music Awards alongside Miguel,Flavour N’abania, Davido, Mafikizolo,Uhuru, Oskido and Professor.[27]

On 27 May 2014, 323 Entertainment and Mavin Records launched the music video for “Wanted“, a music from the Once Upon a Time album. It was directed by Moe Musa in London.[28] The launch of the video prompted an enormous public backlash throughout numerous social networking websites, together with Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.[29]

In June 2014, Savage collaborated with Mi Casa, Lola Rae, Sarkodie, Diamond Platnumz, and Davido on a music for DSTV‘s Africa Rising marketing campaign, which was designed to encourage Africans to partake in group-primarily based social funding initiatives. The music video for the music, launched on 24 June 2014, was shot and directed by South African manufacturing home Callback Dream.[30] The aforementioned artists carried out the music on the Africa Rising launch ceremony in Mauritius.[31]

Tiwa Savage is married to Tunji “Tee Billz” Balogun. On 23 November 2013, the couple held their conventional marriage on the Ark inLekki.[32][33] The couple’s white wedding ceremony was held on 26 April 2014, on the Armani Hotel in Dubai.[34][35] On 1 January 2015, Savage and her husband, Tunji “Tee Billz” Balogun, introduced that they had been anticipating their first baby collectively.[36] On 22 July 2015, Tiwa Savage gave beginning to her son Jamil Balogun.[37][38] On 28 April 2016, Tunji “Tee Billz” Balogun, in a collection of social media posts, accused his spouse of infidelity in addition to her mom of witchcraft.[39] In a 45-minute interview performed by Thisday newspaper andPulse Nigeria, Tiwa Savage extensively addressed her husband’s prolonged social media posts concerning their marriage. She debunked her husband’s infidelity claims and accused him of economic recklessness, drug habit, and abandonment.[40]Moreover, she stated that her marriage to him is over.[40]