Afrobeats superstar, Tiwa Savage, has opened up about her reasons for rejecting the popular title of “Queen of Afrobeats,” while also sharing details of a past relationship with a fellow public figure that left her feeling disrespected.
Speaking on the Joe Budden Podcast, Savage revealed that the unnamed man insisted on keeping their relationship private, a decision she initially respected but later realised was harmful and uncomfortable.
According to her, he would often tell her he didn’t want people to know about them. “He did this thing where he’s just like, I don’t want us to go public because I don’t want people to know and all that kind of stuff. So I’m like, okay, cool,” she explained.
However, the situation worsened as he began openly engaging with other women in her presence under the guise of protecting their relationship from public scrutiny.
Savage recalled instances at public events where he would “work the room,” talking and even rubbing shoulders with other women while she was present. “We might be in the same event and he’s working the room, probably like talking, rubbing, and I’m there. He’s still looking at me like, ‘I’m just doing it.’ And I can’t say nothing. And it’s in front of me,” she recounted, describing the experience as “disrespectful.”
Although she refrained from naming the individual, Savage made it clear that the toxic dynamic was one of the reasons their relationship ended.
When asked during the interview if she saw herself as the “Queen of Afrobeats,” Savage humbly declined the title.
“I just think that if I say that, then what am I saying about the other girls who are doing it and killing it? I think we’re all queens,” she said.
Reflecting on her career journey, Savage highlighted the struggles behind her success, particularly as one of the first African female artists signed to Universal Music Group. She noted that while the achievement is now celebrated, it came after years of rejection.
“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.
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