Nigerian Afrobeats star Tiwa Savage has explained why she does not claim the title of “Queen of Afrobeats” and opened up about a past relationship with a fellow public figure that left her feeling disrespected.
Speaking on the Joe Budden Podcast, Savage revealed that her former partner, whose name she withheld, insisted on keeping their relationship private under the pretext of protecting it. However, he simultaneously interacted openly with other women at public events, often in her presence.
“No, it’s a disrespect. Like, you know, I’m a public figure and he is as well,” she said. “He told me he didn’t want us to go public because he didn’t want people to know. But then it was like, okay, when we go out, I might be talking to other people so people don’t suspect. And I’m like, how far are you going with this?”
Savage recalled attending functions where her partner would socialize intimately with others while still insisting his behavior was intended to conceal their relationship. “We might be in the same event and he’s working the room, probably talking, rubbing, and I’m there. He’s still looking at me like, ‘I’m just doing it,’ and I can’t say anything. And it’s in front of me,” she recounted.
The award-winning artist confirmed that the situation contributed to the breakdown of the relationship.
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During the same interview, Savage addressed the popular label of “Queen of Afrobeats,” which she declined to embrace. “I just think that if I say that, then what am I—are the other girls who are doing it and killing it not queens? I think we’re all queens,” she said.
Reflecting on her career journey, Savage noted the challenges she faced as one of the first African female artists signed to Universal Music Group. While the signing is now celebrated as a milestone, she said it came after numerous rejections.
“Before I could be the first, it was a lot of no’s. That’s what I see—the struggle and the challenge,” she concluded.