Tiwa Savage
Nigerian musician, Tiwa Savage, has credited embracing her African identity to the global rise of Afrobeats, disclosing that it transformed her sense of pride and belonging.
Speaking at the Unstoppable Africans event, the award-winning singer addressed recent claims by music executives, including Paul Okoye and DJ Big N that Afrobeats is currently in decline. Tiwa, however, disagreed strongly, insisting that the genre is “unstoppable” and more influential than ever.
“Afrobeats is the fastest growing genre in the world,” she said. “We kind of created it with nothing — no support, no infrastructure, no real belief even from our own people initially.”
The ‘Somebody’s Son’ hitmaker reflected on her early years growing up in London, revealing that she once struggled with her African identity due to the lack of positive representation.
“I remember growing up in London and I was not happy being African. But now I’m so proud because of how big Afrobeats is growing,” she admitted.
Tiwa went on to highlight the genre’s resilience and cultural impact, noting that it has defied critics who once dismissed it as a passing trend.
“There was a conversation at one point that Afrobeats would have its 15 minutes of fame and fade away. But we are still here. We’re filling out stadiums and topping global charts,” she stated proudly.
Reinforcing her belief in the power and unity of African artistry, Tiwa Savage described the genre as a symbol of continental pride and strength.
“As much as they are trying to quiet us down, the music is not going anywhere. We are Africans, and we are unstoppable,” she declared.