I Was A Tomboy Before My Ex-Husband Rebranded Me – Tiwa Savage Says

Afrobeats superstar Tiwa Savage has opened up about her surprising transformation, revealing she wasn’t always the confident, glamorous diva fans adore today. In fact, she embraced a tomboyish style before her explosive rise in the music industry.

The hitmaker shared that during her early days as a songwriter abroad, oversized jeans and tees were her go-to look—until her ex-husband and former manager, Tunji Balogun (Teebillz), orchestrated her bold reinvention.

Appearing on Joey Akan’s Afrobeats Intelligence podcast, Savage recalled how Teebillz molded her into the seductive icon she is now, especially after her return to Nigeria to pursue music.

Reflecting on her 2024 single ‘Wanted’, she said, “That music video was a statement. People had written me off after marriage—’She’s done. She’s lost her appeal.’ So, I decided to shock them. I wanted to prove I wasn’t going anywhere.”

But the sultry persona wasn’t second nature to her. “Teebillz saw an opportunity,” she admitted. “He pushed me to transform—hit the gym, shape my brows, switch up my hair. I was completely different back in L.A.; just a girl in baggy clothes writing songs. He envisioned an African Beyoncé, and I ran with it.”

The backlash, however, was brutal. “My style sparked outrage. Shows would bench me last minute. ‘Love Me’ got banned on TV. I almost quit,” she confessed. “But then Bizzle reminded me how much women loved my authenticity. I bounced back—even after every major label in Nigeria turned me down.”