Tiwa Savage

Singer, songwriter, and actress Tiwa Savage was born Tiwatope Savage on February 5, 1980, in Isale Eko, Lagos State, Nigeria. The Afrobeats/pop/hip-hop artist was raised in her homeland of Nigeria but moved to London, England at the age of 11 to further her education, which included attending the University of Kent. When she was 16, she began her music career as a backing vocalist for name artists such as Whitney Houston, Fantasia, Mary J. Blige, and George Michael. Tiwa Savage then began studying at Berklee School of Music in Boston, Massachusetts in 2008 while also participating on the UK edition of X-Factor. After graduating from Berklee in 2009, she signed a publishing deal with Sony/ATV before moving back home to Nigeria in 2012 to embrace the growth of the music industry in that country. Her early singles – including “Kele Kele Love”, “Love Me (3x)”, and “Ife Wa Gbona” featuring Leo Wonder - and won numerous awards before releasing her highly acclaimed debut album, Once Upon a Time, in 2013. Her second album, R.E.D. (2016) featured the singles “My Darlin’” and “African Waist” (featuring Don Jazzy). She continued to receive international acclaim, winning the Best African Act honors at the 2018 MTV Europe Music Awards.  Her chart-topping third album Celia (2020) included “Dangerous Love,” “Koroba,” and “Temptation” featuring Sam Smith, while her 2021 EP Water & Garri produced the Brandy collaboration “Somebody’s Son,” which became a major charting success. In May 2023 she performed “Keys to the Kingdom” at the Coronation Concert for King Charles III at Windsor Castle. Expanding into film, she starred in Prime Video’s 2024 feature Water & Garri and released its 10-track original soundtrack. Her fourth studio album This One Is Personal was released on August 29, 2025, led by the single “You4Me,” confirming her international blend of Afrobeats, R&B, and pop.