Tiwa Savage, the Afrobeats singer, has spoken openly about the difficulties she faces in the music industry, describing it as one “filled with darkness.”
The award-winning artiste made the remarks during a live online session with her fans, where she also shared her thoughts about her new album, This One is Personal.
Savage, who is one of Nigeria’s leading female musicians, explained that many people had cast doubts on her project before it was released because it did not feature international stars or popular club-style tracks.
According to her, some critics had concluded that the album would not perform well since it lacked high-profile collaborations or what they considered “hit singles.”
She said, “When I put out the tracklist, I saw so many people saying, ‘Ah, she doesn’t have this person, she’s not featuring that person, she doesn’t have big names from America, she doesn’t have A-listers.’ And they just automatically concluded that because I don’t have those things, the album is not going to be good.”
The singer stressed that she has never depended on major endorsements or international co-signs to succeed, adding that her focus remains on staying true to her music.
“All I have is all I have,” Savage said. “I wasn’t actively seeking huge co-signs. What I have is me, the people who are willing to work with me, and the music. Honestly, having you guys, my fans, is enough for me.”
The Afrobeats star also revealed that her new album took more than two years to complete. She said the project was full of challenges, including doubts from industry insiders who told her that releasing vulnerable and emotional songs was a risk because fans only wanted fast-tempo party hits.
“I wish I could tell you guys the fights and the challenges,” she said. “So many people doubted me. They said doing this type of vulnerable record, nobody’s going to listen to it. They said nobody cares, people just want to hear club records, they just want bangers, and because I didn’t have any of those, this thing would not work.”
Despite the negative comments, Tiwa Savage insisted that she remained focused, relying on her faith and the encouragement of her team to push through.
“My Alpha and Omega, this industry is filled with so much darkness, I wish you guys knew. But I thank God that I have kept my eyes on Him, and I have not fallen,” she said during the live session.
She added that for her, success is not about having millions of fans but about connecting deeply with the right listeners who understand and appreciate her artistry.
“I don’t need millions of fans, I just need the right ones, and I have them,” she noted.
