Nigerian singer, songwriter and actor, Tiwa Savage is determined to build an empire that will cement her status among the world’s self-made billionaire women.
“I want to go into my mogul era – billionaire Tiwa Savage.”
Tiwatope Omolara Savage, professionally known as Tiwa Savage, at the age of 45, is standing on the precipice of her next great reinvention. Her contemporaries have shown Savage the path. Now, she is ready to chart her own.
It is a journey that has been decades in the making, and one that began in London, where a teenage Savage discovered a love for performing during drama classes.
“When I was in school, there are basic subjects like math, English, and there are also electives like sports, drama, music – I chose drama and just even from earlier on, I knew that I had a gift for acting. Even when I started my music career, I knew, at some point, I was going to go back into that field,” she recalls to FORBES AFRICA via a Zoom call on a warm afternoon from her home in Lagos, Nigeria.
Loading...
“Why are we trying to break into another market? We should build our own to be the one others try to break into.”
That passion never faded, even as music took center stage in her life. From her music videos to the depth in her lyrics, she was never content with just one avenue of expression.
For those who followed Savage from her 2010 breakout hit, Kele Kele Love to the global collaborations that she’s done in the present, this new chapter feels like a natural progression.
Her work seems to transcend genre and medium. Somebody’s Son, her duet with American singer Brandy Norwood, showcased her vocal prowess. Ife with Nigerian Fuji legend, Wasiu ‘Pasuma’ Odetola proved she could pivot effortlessly across cultures and sounds.
“Growing up in Nigeria, then moving to the United Kingdom and studying jazz in America, I absorbed different musical influences,” she explains.
“I can do a jazz record, a garage song, or an Afrobeats track, and it all feels authentic. I have lived these experiences.”
This authenticity is why her music has earned her historical accolades: the first African woman to sell out London’s Indigo at The O2, the first African woman to win Best African Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards, and a performer at King Charles III’s coronation concert.
As noted, her transition to film was inevitable. As the executive producer of Water and Garri, released in 2024, she found herself immersed in the filmmaking process, drawn to the meticulous nature of the craft.
“It was a lot of work, but there are similarities to music,” she says, as she adjusts her black Dior glasses and leans into the camera.
“I am used to repeating melodies until they are perfect. Watching scenes over and over, making corrections — it was not frustrating. It was exciting.”
Edward Israel-Ayide, an industry insider in the early days of Savage’s career, describes her as a ‘transformer’.
“What stands out is not just her success but how she has consistently adapted and evolved at every turn, emerging stronger from every challenge to become the industry’s ultimate comeback queen.”
He continues, stating that “she understood early on that being an artist in Africa meant being more than just a musician. You had to be a brand, a business, a movement”.
What is remarkable about Tiwa’s journey is how she has managed to stay relevant through every phase of the industry’s growth. From those early networking events to becoming a social media force with 35 million followers, from her first Nigerian stage performance at Industry Nite to co-producing Water and Garrí for Prime Video, she has consistently pushed beyond what we thought was possible for an African artist,” adds Israel-Ayide.
Now, Savage is thinking bigger. Her ambitions extend far beyond entertainment. “I want to go into my mogul era – billionaire Tiwa Savage,” she says with conviction.
The blueprint is clear—skincare, fashion, philanthropy, and, most significantly, education. Savage envisions a music school that does not just produce artists but also nurtures industry professionals, such as songwriters, producers, music therapists, and lawyers.
“I think a lot of times when people think of music, they think of just being an artist,” she explains. “But there are so many aspects to the industry. I want to build a school or scholarship program that teaches that.”
Even as she dreams of reshaping the industry, she remains as candid as ever: “Everyone always says to me, ‘when are you going to sign an artist?’ I don’t think I have the gift to sign another artist, because artists are stressful… I could just be sleeping, and then I will wake up and my artist is trending for something else”.
“But I do have the gift to help, which is why I am trying to do the music school, where you can go and later sign to a label that can actually help you,’’ she explains.
Ownership is another pillar of her vision. Afrobeats is no longer a niche genre; it is a global movement. As its influence grows, so does the need for African artists to retain control.
“We need to own our art, our publishing, our labels,” she says. “We need to tell our own stories.”
Chude Jideonwo, a media entrepreneur whose 25-year career spans advertising, public relations, television, radio, print, and digital media, echoes this sentiment.
“When it comes to contemporary people, Africa has so many incredible people – Tiwa Savage started her new career when she was in her 40s. There are so many stories from inside the belly of Africa that we have not told in a way that is accessible to the mainstream for the everyday young people.”
Savage has a radical dream: to see Africa become a mainstream music market. “Why are we trying to break into another market? We should build our own to be the one others try to break into,” she states. “If we had the right infrastructure, affordable data, and investment, we would not have to chase validation elsewhere.”
It is an audacious vision, but Savage has never been one to shrink from a challenge. From navigating a male-dominated industry to defining Afrobeats on her own terms, she has always played the long game. Now, as she prepares for her next act, she is more certain than ever of her purpose.
“Cherish the beginning,” she advises emerging artists. “A lot of artists rush to the top, but once you are there, you face pressures — streams, concerts, obligations. When you start, you are free to create without limitations. Build a strong foundation, so when opinions come at you, you do not lose yourself.”
With her fifth studio album, This One Is Personal, set for release early this summer, Savage doesn’t seem to be slowing down, professionally. But, she has contemplated modifying her pace.
“Not retirement, per se,” she corrects, laughing. “But sometimes the pressure gets to you. That is why having a strong team is important. Plus, let us be real, I need to keep making money. I do not know how to do anything else.”
“I really want to delve into my philanthropy. I want to start different NGOs [non-governmental organizations] to help women, to help young girls.’’
Savage is no longer just a music icon. She is an architect of the future — one where African music, business, and culture are not just global but dominant. The ‘Queen of Afrobeats’ is ready to claim her crown as the ‘Queen of Industry’.
Loading...