Tiwa Savage’s Biography

In 2007, Savage graduated from Berklee College of Music with a degree in professional music. She reminisced about her time there by stating that she was inspired by the dedication and enthusiasm of the younger kids. She also stated that she required the school’s environment.

Music Career

Savage progressed to the final 24 on the UK version of The X Factor in 2006, but was ultimately eliminated as the 12th contestant.

Savage inked a publishing agreement with Sony/ATV Music Publishing in 2009. She was able to write for Babyface, Kat Deluna, Fantasia, Monica, and Ma thanks to the contract. She has been credited for her contribution to the soulful ballad “Catch Me” by Monica. In 2010, the American music artist received a Grammy nomination for her duet with Fantasia on the song “Collard Greens & Cornbread.” Savage composed “Oh Yeah” by Jaicko featuring Snoop Dogg and “Push Push” by Deluna featuring Akon.

She sang backing vocals on the album I Look to You by Whitney Houston (2009). Motivated by the expansion of the Nigerian music business, Savage returned to Nigeria in 2012 and signed to Mavin Records.

Savage co-founded the record company 323 Entertainment with her former manager and future husband, Tunji “Tee Billz” Balogun, with whom she became engaged on February 5, 2013. She signed with Mavin Records in 2012 and was featured on the compilation album Solar Plexus (2012).

She networked with musicians Keith Harris, Derek Pate, Scott Coleman, Radar Ellis, and Darien Dorsey while attending Berklee College of Music. She disclosed her collaboration with producers Chuck Harmony, Warren “Oak” Felder, and Sossick, among others, in an interview with writer Brenda Pike. She stated that her debut album would have songs in her native language. In 2012, Savage appeared on the remix of “Oyi.” She recorded her own rendition of the song prior to teaming with Flavour.

In 2010, Savage began recording her debut studio album Once Once a Time. In May 2013, she hosted an album listening party at the Wheatbaker Hotel in Ikoyi. She introduced Iceberg Slim, Sarkodie, and General Pype as featured artists and released the whole track listing of the album at the listening party. On July 3, 2013, the album was released to the Nigerian public.

R.E.D., which stands for Romance, Expression, and Dancing, was Savage’s second studio album, released on December 19, 2015. Don Jazzy, Olamide, Dr. SID, Iceberg Slim, 2face Idibia, D’Prince, Busy Signal, and Reekado Banks make guest appearances on the album.

The media reported in June 2016 that Savage had inked a management and publishing contract with Roc Nation. On July 29, 2016, she made the contract official by announcing it on Instagram, becoming the first Nigerian artist to be signed to the label.

Universal Music Group confirmed Savage’s agreement to a seven-year publishing and distribution deal on 2 May 2019. Also, it was discovered that she had quit Mavin Records.  Vannessa Amadi-Ogbonna and Efe Ogbeni of Regime Music Society will be responsible for executive producing all of her projects for the label.

Savage and Tunji “Tee Billz” Balogun were married. On November 23, 2013, the pair exchanged traditional vows at Ark in Lekki. The couple’s white wedding took place at the Armani Hotel in Dubai on April 26, 2014.

Savage and Balogun revealed they were expecting their first child together on January 1, 2015. Following six months, Savage gave birth to their son. Balogun accused his wife of infidelity and his mother-in-law of witchcraft on April 28, 2016. In a 45-minute interview with This Day and Pulse Nigeria, Savage discussed in depth her husband’s lengthy social media remarks about their marriage.

She refuted her husband’s charges of infidelity and accused him of fiscal irresponsibility, drug addiction, and abandonment. She stated that her marriage to him had ended.

On 19 July 2021, Savage’s father passed away due to an unknown disease.

Discography