Tiwa Savage
Nigerian singer Tiwa Savage has shared how her image as a glamorous pop star wasn’t always part of the plan.
In a recent episode of the Afrobeats Intelligence podcast, hosted by Joey Akan, Tiwa revealed that she was once a tomboy before her ex-husband and former manager, Tunji “Teebillz” Balogun, transformed her image.
“Before music, I was a songwriter in the U.S. wearing baggy jeans and T-shirts. I wasn’t trying to be sexy at all,” she said. “But Teebillz saw a gap in the market and rebranded me into something completely different.”
Tiwa explained that when she moved back to Nigeria to begin her singing career, Teebillz encouraged her to hit the gym, wax her eyebrows, wear wigs, and embrace a more polished, sexy look—an image that later became her signature style.
She recalled how her 2014 music video Wanted stirred controversy. “It was me being rebellious,” she said. “People were saying I wasn’t sexy anymore because I was married. So I did something bold to prove them wrong.”
However, her new image wasn’t always welcomed. Tiwa revealed that she faced rejection at shows and even had one of her songs, Love Me, banned on TV because of her outfits. “Some governors’ wives didn’t want me performing in skimpy dresses,” she added.
Despite the backlash and multiple rejections from major labels like Mo’Hits, Storm Records, and EME, Tiwa Savage pushed through. Encouragement from fans and friends kept her going, and she has since become one of Africa’s most influential music stars.
“I’m naturally not a sexy person. I’m a tomboy. But that transformation was part of the journey,” she said.