Nigerian singer, Tiwa Savage, signed to Mavin group under the leadership of Don Jazzy has successfully marketed the African music brand beyond the shores of the country and is happy at her achievement although she admits more needs to be done.
Tiwa Savage, while speaking during the Morning Show of Arise Television, a sister broadcast station of THISDAY Newspapers addressed some pressing issues in the Nigerian music industry.
The singer, described as the modern day Fela girl argued in favour of the late singer’s girls adding that she is still fighting the war the ladies fought back then.
Tiwa Savage during the Morning Show further said her music could not be understood when she sent her works to the United Kingdom.
She said: “If you don’t try, you won’t succeed. It is not time for me to relax and say that I am at the same level with Rihanna. I need to do my thing. I need the support of Nigerians and the whole continent.
“When I go to the UK to perform, they appreciate us more than American artistes. We are learning to appreciate our own. It is so cool to be a Nigerian and African. The ‘pidgin’ english (an English-based pidgin and creole language spoken as a lingua franca across Nigeria) is there but we are trying to present it better to the world.”
The singer maintained that before 2009 when she moved back into the country, there were more American songs in Nigeria clubs compared to African songs.
“But when I came back, it changed with the presence of D’banj, Tuface, Don Jazzy and the rest of Nigerian artistes. We did not care whether the rest of the world was listening or not.
“I am delighted to sell the Nigerian brand; I don’t need to change some of the songs. When I sent the rhythm to the UK and they did not understand, I don’t need to change anything.”
The wife and mother of one further added that her music is like Jollof Rice, “I am in love with Jollof rice. When I prepare it, I can dish it out anyhow and eat. But when you have a guest, you dish it out in a very special way. That is what we do in music,”
Speaking on her career and how much getting married and having kids has impacted it, then encouraging other women, Tiwa Savage said: “When you get married or have kids- it doesn’t mean that your career has ended. Your career has just started. I worked under Don Jazzy who is extremely talented. If you look at his catalog, no two songs are the same. I cannot take all the credit. When I was pregnant, he was very understanding and very helpful. These guys were very understanding about women issues.”
On Fela’s girls, she said: “These girls were misunderstood. What they did on stage was just entertainment. What they do on stage doesn’t mean that they are loose off stage. People say Fela is godfather but people forget the women that added glamour to Fela’s show.
“When I performed initially in Nigeria, they screamed that it was too much; that it was too sexual. We are still fighting the same battle the Fela girls fought. There is no way a movie and entertainment will not have sexual scenes. The only thing we can do as Africans is to provide guidelines. You cannot stop an artiste from being sexual in entertainment.”