Tiwa Savage

Tiwatope Omolara Savage, known professionally as Tiwa Savage, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and actress. Savage sings in English and Yoruba; her music is a blend of afrobeats, R&B, afropop, pop and hip-hop. Savage's contributions to the Nigerian music industry have earned her several achievements. Born in Isale Eko, she relocated to London at the age of 11 for her secondary education. Five years later, she began her music career doing backup vocals for artists such as George Michael and Mary J. Blige. After participating in the UK edition of The X Factor and graduating from Berklee College of Music, Savage signed a publishing deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing in 2009. Inspired by the growth of the Nigerian music industry, Savage moved back to Nigeria and signed with Mavin Records in 2012. She made an appearance on the label's 2012 compilation album Solar Plexus. Her debut studio album Once Upon a Time was released on 3 July 2013. It was supported by seven singles: "Kele Kele Love", "Love Me (3x)", "Without My Heart", "Ife Wa Gbona", "Folarin", "Olorun Mi" and "Eminado". The album was nominated for Best Album of the Year at the 2014 Nigeria Entertainment Awards and for Best R&B/Pop Album at The Headies 2014. On 19 December 2015, Savage released her second studio album R.E.D, which yielded the singles "My Darlin" and "Standing Ovation". In June 2016, she signed a management and publishing deal with Roc Nation. Savage released her debut extended play (EP) Sugarcane in September 2017; the project comprises six tracks and was supported by the singles "All Over" and "Ma Lo". R.E.D and Sugarcane have both been nominated for Best Album at the Nigeria Entertainment Awards. In November 2018, Savage won Best African Act at the 2018 MTV Europe Music Awards, becoming the first woman to win the category. In May 2019, she announced her record deal with Universal Music Group and exit from Mavin Records. Savage's third studio album Celia, which was released in August 2020, yielded the singles "Attention", "Dangerous Love", "Koroba", and "Temptation". Her second extended play Water & Garri, which blends Afrobeat with soulful R&B, was released on 20 August 2021. In March 2022, Savage announced the Water & Garri North American Tour in support of the EP. In July 2022, she received an honorary degree from the University of Kent during a graduation ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral.