Renowned Nigerian singer Tiwa Savage, has expressed her discomfort with being labeled the “Queen of Afrobeats.”
In a recent interview with Apple Music’s Ebro, the singer clarified that although she appreciates the recognition, she is reluctant to accept the title due to the weight of responsibility it carries.
Tiwa Savage emphasised that many other talented female artistes also deserve recognition.
“Yeah, they call me the Queen of Afrobeats, but there are a lot of us that are Queens.”
She feels that accepting the title would require her to maintain a certain level of humility, which makes her uncomfortable.
“Personally, I don’t like that tag, it’s uncomfortable because I feel like if I start accepting it, I need to be humble and secondly, it doesn’t make sense to me. So, I don’t accept it,” she said.
She believes the title doesn’t accurately represent the collective contributions of other female artistes in the Afrobeats genre.
Savage acknowledges the fact that her breakthrough as one of the top female artistes in Nigeria may have contributed to her being dubbed with the title, but she doesn’t feel it should be exclusive to her.
Tiwa Savage’s statement has sparked debate among fans, with some praising her humility while others are questioning her previous acceptance of the title.
The conversation highlights the importance of recognising the contributions of all female artistes in Afrobeats, including Yemi Alade, Tems, and Ayra Starr, who have also played significant roles in popularising the genre globally.
