Afrobeats Intelligence
Afrobeats Intelligence
Joey Akan/OkayAfrica
Tiwa Savage on Motherhood, Nigerian Fame & Why Afrobeats Overlooks Women | Afrobeats Intelligence
59 minutes Posted Jun 20, 2025 at 4:00 am.
–1:45 – Separation between home and work
–3:43 – Tiwa’s hopes for her son
–8:34 – Laying the foundation for longevity in music
–11:15 – “I started late” – on timing and career doubts
–13:56 – Navigating structure in a chaotic industry
–15:44 – Scaling and surviving as a woman in music
–19:15 – Championing sensuality in conservative Nigeria
–20:59 – “Come home, Tiwa” – Leaving L.A. for the Nigerian market
–24:39 – Becoming ‘Tiwa Savage’ full time
–26:48 – Defining Afro-RnB
–27:45 – Telling stories through projects
–32:30 – From Mavin Records to the major leagues
–34:48 – A popstar becomes a mother
–36:41 – Ten years later: reflecting on a legendary run
–40:02 – Staying true while staying versatile
–42:53 – Working with Beyoncé and approaching perfection
–46:29 – Building a sustainable music industry in Nigeria
–end – Tiwa on Afrobeats to the World and her legacy
0:00
59:57
Download MP3
Show notes
In this unforgettable episode of Afrobeats Intelligence, Joey Akan sits down with the one and only Tiwa Savage — singer, songwriter, and enduring icon of the African music movement. With a career that’s spanned continents and broken barriers, Tiwa gets candid about her journey, from joining Mavin Records to navigating fame, motherhood, and her return to R&B.
She opens up about being pregnant while recording the RED album, the hunger for money as a rising star, and what it really took to build a career that has lasted over a decade. Joey and Tiwa explore the challenges of championing sensuality in a conservative industry, Tiwa’s Afro-RnB sound, working with Beyoncé on Keys to the Kingdom, and what it means to raise a son while also raising a legacy.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices