Omanghana
Afrobeats star Tiwa Savage has rejected accusations that she does not collaborate with or support other women in the music industry, describing the claims as inconsistent with her record.
Speaking during a recent podcast discussion, the Nigerian singer said she has worked with numerous female musicians across Africa but believes many of those collaborations did not receive adequate promotion from industry gatekeepers, media platforms or listeners.
Savage argued that attention is often focused on who women collaborate with rather than whether female-led records receive meaningful support after their release.
Savage Points to Female Collaborations
The award-winning singer challenged critics to examine her catalogue before accusing her of refusing to work with women.
“I’ve heard people say that I don’t feature female artistes, which is also a lie. Check the female artistes in Nigeria; I’ve done the most features with them,” she said.
Savage cited her work with Waje, Simi, Ayra Starr, Efya, Becca, Di’Ja and Asa as evidence of her willingness to collaborate with women.
Her broader catalogue also includes “Somebody’s Son,” her successful collaboration with American R&B singer Brandy.
The singer maintained that her work with women often receives less attention than her collaborations with male artists, creating a false impression that such records do not exist.
Singer Questions Promotion of Female-Led Records
Savage said the more important question was why songs featuring women frequently struggle to attract sustained media attention and audience support.
“When I feature female artists, they don’t promote the songs. So when I feature Odumodublvck, knowing it’ll give me millions of streams, they start complaining,” she said.
She questioned why gatekeepers who criticize her choices fail to actively promote her collaborations with women after the songs are released.
“When I dropped those songs, where were the gatekeepers? Why didn’t they promote the songs?” she asked.
Savage contrasted the reception of her female collaborations with the attention generated by “100 Million,” her 2024 song with Nigerian rapper Odumodublvck.
She explained that records involving prominent male artists frequently benefit from larger fan bases, stronger playlist placement and greater organic promotion.
Female collaborations, by comparison, may struggle to achieve similar streaming figures without sustained backing from audiences, broadcasters and digital platforms.
Tiwa Savage Criticizes Industry Double Standards
The singer described the situation as a frustrating double standard.
When she works with male artists, she is accused of neglecting women. When she collaborates with women, she said, the resulting songs often receive limited public support.
“When I do it with the females, you guys don’t support it, but nobody talks about it,” she said. “They would just say I don’t want to support other females.”
Savage argued that responsibility for strengthening women’s representation in music should not rest solely on female performers.
Record labels, promoters, radio stations, streaming platforms, event organizers, journalists and listeners all influence whether a collaboration succeeds commercially.
Singer Rejects Manufactured Rivalries
Savage also addressed the music industry’s tendency to portray successful female artists as rivals.
She recalled inviting Yemi Alade to perform at one of her headline concerts, a move intended to demonstrate mutual respect despite longstanding public attempts to create competition between them.
“When I did my concert, I pulled out Yemi Alade to come perform at my show,” Savage said.
She also highlighted her relationship with Ayra Starr, explaining that she had similarly invited the younger singer onstage because she admired and supported her.
Savage’s remarks reflect a wider debate about how African female musicians are promoted and perceived. While male artists are often encouraged to collaborate freely, high-profile women are frequently compared, ranked against one another or placed at the center of rivalry narratives.
The singer maintained that her career demonstrates a commitment to working with other women but said genuine solidarity must be matched by meaningful promotion after the music is released.
Source: Omanghana
