Nigerian music star Tiwa Savage has revealed that her well-known sexy image was not her original persona but a calculated rebranding orchestrated by her ex-husband and former manager, Tunji Balogun, popularly known as Teebillz.
Speaking on a recent episode of the Afrobeats Intelligence podcast hosted by Joey Akan, Savage disclosed that she was initially a tomboy who preferred baggy clothes during her days as a songwriter abroad before venturing into the Nigerian music scene.
"Naturally, I'm not sexy. Naturally, I'm a tomboy," Savage explained. "But TJ [Tunji Balogun] saw that there was a gap in the market and he was just like, 'you've to lose weight, you've to go to the gym, you've to start waxing your eyebrows. You've to start wearing wigs.' He literally changed my whole appearance."
The singer recounted how her transformation was part of a strategic move to position her as "the African Rihanna or Beyoncé" upon her return to Nigeria to pursue a singing career. However, this image shift wasn't without consequences.
Initial Backlash and Challenges
Savage revealed that her new fashion sense attracted significant criticism in Nigeria's more conservative entertainment landscape. "I would go to shows and I would be waiting backstage and they wouldn't call me because maybe the governor's wife had said I can't come up or they'd say, 'make sure you don't wear any of those your skimpy dresses,'" she shared.
The backlash was so severe that her music video for "Love Me" was temporarily banned from television, causing her to retreat to Los Angeles at one point. She credits music executive Bizzle for encouraging her return after informing her that despite the criticism, female fans were embracing her style.
Savage also highlighted the struggles she faced trying to secure a record deal in Nigeria, stating that she was rejected by all major labels at the time, including Storm Records, Mo'Hits, and Banky W's EME.
The "Wanted" singer explained that her provocative 2024 music video was partly a response to industry doubts about her relevance after marriage. "There's a lot of press saying, 'She's not going to be desirable anymore. She's finished. Her time is gone. There are new people on the scene.' So, I was just like, let me do something crazy," she said.
Despite the initial challenges, Tiwa Savage has established herself as one of Africa's most successful female artists, with her journey from tomboy to music diva now forming an important part of her personal narrative.
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