In this unforgettable episode of Afrobeats Intelligence, Joey Akan sits down with the one and only Tiwa Savage — singer, songwriter, and enduring icon of the African music movement. With a career that’s spanned continents and broken barriers, Tiwa gets candid about her journey, from joining Mavin Records to navigating fame, motherhood, and her return to R&B.

She opens up about being pregnant while recording the RED album, the hunger for money as a rising star, and what it really took to build a career that has lasted over a decade. Joey and Tiwa explore the challenges of championing sensuality in a conservative industry, Tiwa’s Afro-RnB sound, working with Beyoncé on Keys to the Kingdom, and what it means to raise a son while also raising a legacy.

1. 
   

   0:00 –1:45 – Separation between home and work

   
   


2. 
   

   1:45 –3:43 – Tiwa’s hopes for her son

   
   


3. 
   

   3:43 –8:34 – Laying the foundation for longevity in music

   
   


4. 
   

   8:34 –11:15 – “I started late” – on timing and career doubts

   
   


5. 
   

   11:15 –13:56 – Navigating structure in a chaotic industry

   
   


6. 
   

   13:56 –15:44 – Scaling and surviving as a woman in music

   
   


7. 
   

   15:44 –19:15 – Championing sensuality in conservative Nigeria

   
   


8. 
   

   19:15 –20:59 – “Come home, Tiwa” – Leaving L.A. for the Nigerian market

   
   


9. 
   

   20:59 –24:39 – Becoming ‘Tiwa Savage’ full time

   
   


10. 
    

    24:39 –26:48 – Defining Afro-RnB

    
    


11. 
    

    26:48 –27:45 – Telling stories through projects

    
    


12. 
    

    27:45 –32:30 – From Mavin Records to the major leagues

    
    


13. 
    

    32:30 –34:48 – A popstar becomes a mother

    
    


14. 
    

    34:48 –36:41 – Ten years later: reflecting on a legendary run

    
    


15. 
    

    36:41 –40:02 – Staying true while staying versatile

    
    


16. 
    

    40:02 –42:53 – Working with Beyoncé and approaching perfection

    
    


17. 
    

    42:53 –46:29 – Building a sustainable music industry in Nigeria

    
    


18. 
    

    46:29 –end – Tiwa on Afrobeats to the World and her legacy