Tiwa Savage

Savage got married to her partner, Tunji “Tee Billz” Balogun, in a traditional ceremony on November 23, 2013. They had another “white wedding” the following year in Dubai.

Savage and Balogun announced Savage’s pregnancy in January 2015. She gave birth to their son, Jamil Balogun, in June 2015.

Balogun went on a social media rampage in 2016, accusing his wife of infidelity and her family members of witchcraft. Savage later revealed that Balogun had a serious drug issue and was financially reckless and that their marriage had been “over for a while.”

Tiwatope Savage–Balogun was born on February 5, 1980, in Ikeja, the capital of Lagos State. The singer is secretive about her personal life, but it is reported that she has at least two brothers and one sister.

Her family relocated to London, UK, when she was 11, allowing the singer to receive a truly multicultural upbringing. While attending high school in the UK, Savage played the trombone in her school’s orchestra band.

Savage attended the ‘University of Kent’ and received a degree in business administration, which has reportedly helped her navigate the intricacies of the international music business. Following this degree, Savage worked for the ‘Royal Bank of Scotland’ for a while.

Having received an opportunity to sing back-up vocals for Mary J. Blige, she decided to focus more intently on music. She received a scholarship to study professional music at the acclaimed ‘Berklee College of Music,’ from where she graduated at the age of 27. She then launched a successful career in music.

Savage began her career at the age of 16, singing back-up vocals for British pop star George Michael. Since then, she has sung with global sensations Mary J. Blige, Blue Cantrell, Emma Bunton, Kelly Clarkson, and Andrea Bocelli among others. She has shared stage space with leading performers such as Destiny’s Child, Sting, 50 Cent, ‘The Black Eyed Peas,’ Robbie Williams, Eminem, and other stalwarts.

In 2006, she entered the UK edition of the reality show ‘The X Factor’ while still at ‘Berklee.’ Although she advanced to the final 24, Savage recalls her stint at the show as a sobering sojourn into the dark side of fame. The singer allegedly had a difficult time adjusting to the spotlight and later described the news that she would not progress to the final 12 as “painful.”

In 2009, she was able to finalize a songwriting deal with industry giant ‘Sony/ ATV,’ which helped her write gigs with Fantasia Barrino, Monica, Babyface, and Mýa. The most notable of these collaborations include her soul-influenced ballad with Monica, ‘Catch Me.’ Another noteworthy collaboration was for ‘Collard Greens & Cornbread’ with Fantasia, which received a ‘Grammy’ nomination the following year.

Savage wrote Kat Deluna’s single ‘Push Push’ (featuring DJ David Guetta and Senegalese sensation Akon) and Bajan pop musician Jaicko’s song ‘Oh Yeah’ (featuring American rap giant Snoop Dogg) during this period. She also sang background vocals in Whitney Houston’s final studio album ‘I Look to You’ (2009).

In 2011, the singer made her acting debut with ‘For Coloured Girls,’ the Nigerian adaptation of an American play. She also became the first female African musician to sign an endorsement deal with ‘Pepsi.’ She also co-hosted the second season of ‘Nigerian Idol’ with MC IllRymz.

She is markedly interested in philanthropy and has supported youth engagement organizations and breast cancer screening projects across Nigeria. She is also eager to support HIV/AIDS awareness and promotes safe-sex practices.

She plans to open a music school to give African youth the opportunities denied to her as a child.

As a new mother, she has encouraged women to “go against the grain” and work “even harder” after giving birth, despite established social norms.