For a Year or Two, I Struggled to Connect with My Son, Though I’d Always Hoped for a Daughter

Afrobeats superstar Tiwa Savage has opened up about the emotional rollercoaster she experienced after welcoming her first child, revealing she initially struggled with gender disappointment when she found out she was having a boy.

During a candid conversation with content creator Korty EO, the award-winning artist confessed she dreamed of having a daughter and faced challenges connecting with her newborn son during his early years.

Savage shared how postpartum changes impacted her career, losing a major endorsement deal because her post-baby body didn’t meet expectations – a painful experience that made her resentful toward motherhood at the time.

The singer, now an adoring mother, reflected on how her perspective transformed as she built an unbreakable friendship with her growing son.

“The truth is, I didn’t immediately connect with my baby. My heart was set on raising a girl. When the doctor said ‘it’s a boy,’ tears just flowed uncontrollably,”

“Those first months were tough – the constant crying, my changed physique. I lost a Pepsi campaign because I didn’t ‘bounce back’ fast enough. In that moment, I blamed him for disrupting my life. But today, he’s my greatest joy and confidant,” Savage revealed.

Drawing from personal heartbreaks, the music icon emphasizes teaching her son to respect women through daily conversations about healthy relationships.

“I constantly remind him: ‘Your mom endured painful relationships – never make a woman feel that way.’ Raising an empathetic man is my mission. He’ll stumble, but I want kindness woven into his character,” she emphasized.

“That first year? No connection at all. I dreamed of doll clothes and pigtails, not toy cars. When they said ‘boy,’ my tears said it all. But this incredible human is now my closest friend.”

– Tiwa Savage on mothering Jamil Balogun.pic.twitter.com/8kADjty9OK

— 𝐀𝐬𝐚𝐤𝐲𝐆𝐑𝐍 (@AsakyGRN) January 18, 2026