Popular singer Tiwa Savage recently opened up about the cultural challenges she faced when she returned to Nigeria from the United Kingdom to pursue her music career.
In a candid interview with BET, the ‘Koroba’ hitmaker recalled how she was often barred from performing at concerts due to her “too risqué” outfits.
“When I first moved back, I would turn up at a show and they would say I can’t perform because my outfit was too risqué,” Savage shared. She explained that cultural norms at the time deemed her attire inappropriate. “Even some of my first music videos were not played on the television because they were considered indecent. I wasn’t even wearing bikinis. Despite the setbacks, I was still stubborn. My dresses were getting more revealing. It was just getting worse. They were bashing me online.”
Despite the criticism, Savage noticed an increasing support from female fans. “It was funny because the females were secretly falling in love with me and my style. They couldn’t deny. My fanbase, my followers, was growing. So they had to put me on shows and play my music because there was a demand for it.”
Tiwa Savage, born Tiwatope Omolara Savage on February 5, 1980, is a renowned Nigerian singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for singing in both English and Yoruba, her music blends afrobeats, R&B, afropop, pop, and hip-hop. Her significant contributions to the Nigerian music industry have earned her numerous accolades.
