Tiwa Savage Opens Up: ‘I Was a Tomboy Before My Ex-Husband Gave Me a Makeover’
Nigerian music sensation Tiwa Savage has shared that she wasn’t always the glamorous diva fans know today. In fact, she described herself as a tomboy before stepping into the spotlight.
During her early days as a songwriter abroad, Tiwa favored baggy clothes and a laid-back style. That was until she met her ex-husband and former manager, Tunji Balogun, also known as Teebillz, who completely transformed her image.
In a recent episode of the Afrobeats Intelligence podcast hosted by Joey Akan, Tiwa recounted how Teebillz rebranded her into a sex symbol after she moved back to Nigeria to pursue her singing career.
“The sexiness in my 2024 single ‘Wanted’ music video was groundbreaking for me at the time,” she said. “I had just gotten married, and the press was buzzing with things like, ‘She’s not going to be desirable anymore. She’s finished. New artists are taking over.’ So I thought, let me shake things up a bit.”
She admitted, “Honestly, it wasn’t about trying to be sexy because naturally, I’m a tomboy. But TJ saw a gap in the market and told me I needed to lose weight, hit the gym, wax my eyebrows, and start wearing wigs. He completely changed my look. When he met me in L.A., I was just a songwriter in baggy jeans and t-shirts.”
Tiwa added, “I don’t think he expected the backlash. He wanted to create an African Rihanna or Beyoncé, and I was on board. But when we returned to Nigeria, my fashion choices stirred controversy, and I even fled back to L.A. for a while.”
She revealed the struggles she faced, saying, “I’d go to shows and wait backstage, but sometimes they wouldn’t call me up because the governor’s wife might have objected to my skimpy dresses. My song ‘Love Me’ was even banned on TV. It was discouraging. But then Bizzle called to say women loved my music, so I returned to Nigeria.”
Tiwa also shared how she faced rejection from major labels, including Storm Records, Mo’Hits, and Banky W’s EME, before making it big.
This candid glimpse into her journey shows how Tiwa Savage reinvented herself and overcame obstacles to become the star she is today.