Tiwa Savage is one of the biggest music stars to come out of Africa in the last decade. With hit songs like “Kele Kele Love”, “Love Me 3x”, and “All Over”, she has become a household name not just in Nigeria but around the world. Her unique blend of Afrobeat, R&B, and pop has gained her fans from Lagos to London to Los Angeles.
But despite her immense fame, there are still many things that her fans don’t know about the Nigerian diva – including her religious background. So is Tiwa Savage a Muslim? Let’s take a closer look at her early life, career, awards and personal life to find out.
Tiwa Savage Early Life
Tiwatope Savage was born on February 5, 1980 in Isale Eko, the capital of Lagos State in Nigeria. Her family was middle class and she grew up with her parents and siblings in a suburb of the huge coastal city.
Tiwa’s mother was a school administrator and her father worked as an accountant. They were a devout Christian household and Tiwa was raised in the Anglican church tradition. She sang in the choir and regularly attended Sunday services with her family while growing up.
So there are no indicators from Tiwa’s early childhood that she came from a Muslim background. Her family’s steadfast Anglican beliefs point to her being raised as a Christian from birth.
Tiwa Savage Education
For her secondary education, Tiwa attended Richmold Private School in Egbeda, Lagos. She then went on to the University of Kent in the United Kingdom to study Business Administration. After graduation, she briefly worked at The Royal Bank of Scotland before deciding to pursue music full time.
Again, there are no signs during Tiwa’s educational background of any links to Islam. Nigeria is evenly split between Christians and Muslims so many of her classmates and colleagues would have come from Muslim families. But Tiwa herself continued to practice Christianity.
Tiwa Savage Career
After participating in the UK version of X-Factor, Tiwa Savage signed a publishing deal with Sony/ATV Music. She co-wrote the track “Collard Greens & Cornbread” for Fantasia Barrino’s Grammy-nominated album Back to Me.
Tiwa released her debut studio album Once Upon a Time in 2013. It was very well received and charted in several African countries. But it was her sophomore effort R.E.D which really made her a star across the continent. Songs like “Eminado” and “Love Me Hard” dominated radio play lists in 2014.
In 2016, Tiwa signed a management and recording deal with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation imprint. This helped expose her music to American and European markets. She continued releasing massively successful albums and singles over the next few years like All Over, Sugar Cane and Lova Lova.
Tiwa’s status as one of Africa’s biggest musicians was cemented with her performances at the One Africa Music Fest in Dubai in 2017. She also became the first African female artist to win a MTV Europe Music Award for Best African Act in 2018.
Throughout her music career, Tiwa has never shown any links to Islam in her work. Her music is generally pop, R&B and Afrobeat without any discernible Muslim influences. She has collaborated with plenty of Western artists like Beyonce, Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith.
Tiwa Savage Awards and Recognition
Some of Tiwa Savage’s notable awards and achievements over the years include:
- Best African Act at the 2018 MTV Europe Music Awards
- Best Female at the MTV Africa Music Awards in 2014, 2016 and 2018
- City People Entertainment Awards for Female Musician of the Year in 2019
- BET Award for Best International Act in 2019
- Billboard Most Promising Act to Watch in 2015
- Brand Ambassador for brands like Pepsi, Forte Oil and Maggi
While loved across Nigeria, she has received some criticism from Muslim organizations for her revealing stage outfits and racy lyrics. But she has brushed this off saying she makes music for her fans who appreciate her style.
Again, Tiwa’s long list of accolades contains no hints of any links to the Muslim faith. If anything, conservative Islamic organizations have actively spoken out against some aspects of her music and image.
Is Tiwa Savage a Muslim?
So after looking at her early life, education, music career, and awards it seems quite clear that Tiwa Savage is not Muslim. There are no signs that she ever practiced Islam even for a small part of her life.
By all available accounts, she was raised Christian in a devout Anglican household. She attended Christian schools growing up and her music career has been free of any Muslim influences. She has received criticism from Nigerian Islamic groups, not praise or recognition.
Tiwa identifies primarily as a Nigerian and African artist. But in terms of religion, there is no evidence to suggest she is anything but a practitioner of Christianity. Her parents, siblings, husband and son all appear to follow the same Anglican faith.
So while Tiwa Savage’s ethnicity and birth country are Nigerian, her spiritual beliefs seem squarely Christian. She has never made any references to being Muslim in interviews and continues to produce mainstream pop, R&B and Afrobeat music. Maybe she has Muslim fans, but Islam does not seem to play any major role in her personal life.
Tiwa Savage Net Worth
As Tiwa Savage continues conquering music charts across Africa, her financial fortunes have steadily grown as well. She is one of the richest and highest-paid performers in the continent today.
According to Forbes, Tiwa Savage’s estimated net worth in 2022 is approximately $7 million. This makes her the 668th richest person in Nigeria and the 16th wealthiest musician.
The bulk of her wealth comes from record sales, streaming royalties, and live performances. She also earns additional income from various luxury brand endorsements and business investments.
Tiwa charges an estimated $100,000 per show as one of Africa’s most in-demand performers. She has lucrative endorsement deals with brands like Pepsi, Forte Oil, Maggi and Star Beer. And she owns properties in Lagos, London and Los Angeles.
Thanks to her entrepreneurial acumen, Tiwa has been able to convert her music talent into long-term financial security. She continues to look for new ways to diversify her income through acting, merchandise sales, and other business ventures.
Tiwa Savage’s Personal Life
Tiwa has been married once to Teebillz, a talent manager and entertainer. They got engaged in February 2013 and tied the knot later that year. Together they have a son named Jamil who was born in 2015.
In 2016, the couple very publicly went through a divorce. Teebillz accused Tiwa of infidelity and abandonment, while she claimed he stole money from her and could not properly care for their child. After an attempt at counseling failed, they finalized their divorce in 2018.
Tiwa is now dating Nigerian music star Wizkid although they remain quite private about their relationship. She spends time in both Nigeria and the United States where her son attends school.
Throughout her personal relationships, Tiwa Savage has never identified with Islam. Her marriage to Teebillz was not conducted as per any Muslim customs. And her dating life and parenting are quite relaxed, showing no signs of adherence to conservative Islamic law.
So in summary, Tiwa Savage was born in Nigeria but seems to have lived her entire life within the Anglican Christian tradition. She has no known ties to the Muslim faith through family, education, career, or personal relationships. So while the temptation to assume she is Muslim arises from her Nigerian heritage, the facts simply do not back up this conclusion. By all available accounts, we believe Tiwa Savage is a devout Christian woman whose talents have made her one of Africa’s leading pop culture voices.