Nigerian Afrobeats star, Tiwa Savage, says her well-known “sexy diva” image was not part of her original personality but the result of a calculated rebrand orchestrated by her ex-husband and former manager, Tunji “Teebillz” Balogun.
Speaking on the Afrobeats Intelligence podcast with Joey Akan, Savage explained that, while working as a songwriter in Los Angeles, she was a self-described tomboy who preferred oversized jeans and T-shirts.
When she and Teebillz decided to return to Nigeria so she could launch a solo career, he spotted a gap in the market for a glamorous female star and pushed her to fill it.
“TJ told me to lose weight, get in the gym, wax my brows, start wearing wigs—he literally changed my whole appearance,” she recalled.
The bold rebrand came to a head in the provocative video for her 2014 single “Wanted”.
Tiwa Savage said the clip was meant to silence critics who claimed her recent marriage had made her “undesirable” and irrelevant.
Instead, the sensual visuals sparked backlash: music-industry gatekeepers barred her skimpy outfits from certain shows.
Also, the “Love Me” video was temporarily banned from local TV.
Feeling disheartened, she briefly retreated to Los Angeles before industry friends encouraged her to press on.
Despite early rejections from labels such as Storm Records, Mo’Hits, and Banky W’s EME, Savage’s willingness to challenge conservative norms ultimately paid off.
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Today she is one of Afrobeats’ most recognisable figures.
She is an outcome she credits partly to Teebillz’s vision, even though it forced her far outside her comfort zone.
