Tiwa Savage Biography 2025
Tiwatope Omolara Savage, professionally known as Tiwa Savage, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and actress widely regarded as the Queen of Afrobeats. Born on February 5, 1980, in Isale Eko, Lagos State, Nigeria, she is 45 years old as of December 2025.
Early Life and Education
Tiwa relocated to London with her family at age 11, where she played trombone in her school's orchestra. She graduated with an accounting degree from the University of Kent and worked briefly at The Royal Bank of Scotland. Pursuing music, she attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, earning a professional music degree in 2007. In 2022, the University of Kent awarded her an honorary doctorate in music.
Music Journey
Tiwa's career began at 16 with backup vocals for artists like George Michael, Mary J. Blige, and Chaka Khan. She participated in the UK X Factor and signed a publishing deal with Sony/ATV in 2009, co-writing songs for Fantasia and others.
Returning to Nigeria in 2012, she signed with Mavin Records under Don Jazzy. Her debut album, Once Upon a Time (2013), featured hits like "Eminado" and "Kele Kele Love." Follow-ups included R.E.D (2015) and Celia (2020). She contributed to Beyoncé's The Lion King: The Gift (2019) and released the EP Water & Garri (2022).
In 2025, Tiwa released her fourth studio album, This One Is Personal (August 29, 2025, via Empire Distribution), a 15-track R&B project exploring personal themes. She hit 800 million streams on Spotify and performed at events like the Greater Lagos Countdown.
Her genre-blending style (Afrobeats, R&B, pop, hip-hop) has earned global acclaim, with collaborations including Wizkid, Coldplay, and Craig David.
Personal Life
Tiwa married manager Tunji "Tee Billz" Balogun in 2013; they divorced in 2018. They share a son, Jamil (born 2015). As of 2025, she focuses on co-parenting and her career.
Awards and Achievements
Tiwa has won numerous awards, including:
First female winner of Best African Act at the 2018 MTV Europe Music Awards
Multiple Headies, MTV Africa Music Awards, and City People Entertainment Awards
She advocates for youth empowerment, women's rights, and gender equality in music.
Net Worth 2025
Estimates range from $7–12 million USD, with most sources citing around $10 million. Her wealth comes from music sales/streams, tours, endorsements (e.g., MTN, Pepsi), and investments.
Tiwa Savage remains a trailblazer, evolving from Afrobeats pioneer to R&B explorer while inspiring African artists globally.
