Tiwa Savage is a Nigerian singer, song writer, recording artist, and performer signed with Mavin Records. Although I found out about her in 2012, through her song “Kele Kele Love,” I didn’t really get back into her until recently and I’m glad I did.

Born Tiwatope Savage in Ikeja, Nigeria “Growing up was very interesting. There were no barriers, I was just free,” she said in an interview with Vanguardngr discussing her album Once Upon A Time.

Savage’s story is a story of strength as she left a backup singer job in the UK to pursue a career as a singer in Nigeria. A decision I am more than glad she made as I jam to her music while going through my day.

She is signed under Sony in America as a song writer and wrote “Catch with Me Him” for Grammy Award R&B singer Monica on her last album in 2012, reportedNotjustok.

Savage’s album Once Upon a Time is a perfect blend of different genres from club songs to ballads, and romance. I feel the album showed off how impressive her focal range is and creative she can be with her music.

She blends Nigerian culture with a touch of Western influence in her songs. I love the back and forth between Yoruba and English which caters to her international fan base, those that can speak Yoruba and those that can’t.

In her song “Ife Wa Gbona,” which means “our love is hot” in Yoruba, Leo Wonder, the rapper in the song, speaks to her in Yoruba and she responds in English. This helps non-Yoruba speaker to understand exactly what he is saying to her.

The video has beautiful scenery as she sings her love for him at someone else’s wedding, the video captures Nigerian culture with beautiful colorful clothes and Nigerian marriage traditions.

Below are my own personal favorites off her album:

Video’s courtesy of Youtube