Nigerian music superstar Tiwa Savage has opened up about her childhood struggles with identity, revealing that she once felt unhappy being African while growing up in London.
Speaking at the Unstoppable Africans event, the “Somebody’s Son” hitmaker used her story to highlight the global rise of Afrobeats, a genre she proudly described as “unstoppable.” Her comments came amid debates over whether Afrobeats is currently in decline, following remarks by music executives Paul Okoye (Paulo) and DJ Big N, who claimed the genre is losing momentum.
Savage, however, strongly dismissed those claims, insisting that Afrobeats is thriving more than ever—dominating global charts, selling out arenas, and reshaping Africa’s image in the world.
“Afrobeats is the fastest-growing genre in the world,” she declared. “We kind of created it with nothing—no support, no structure, no real belief even from our own people initially.”
Reflecting on her past, Savage admitted, “I remember growing up in London and I was not happy being African. But now, I’m so proud because of how big Afrobeats is growing.”
The award-winning singer added that the genre has defied critics who once predicted it would fade after “15 minutes of fame.” Instead, she said, African artists are now headlining international festivals and filling stadiums worldwide.
“As much as they are trying to quiet us down, the music is not going anywhere. We are Africans, and we are unstoppable,” Tiwa affirmed—cementing her voice as one of Afrobeats’ most passionate defenders.
