Tiwa savage says she won’t encourage son to pursue music, cites industry struggles
Nigerian Afrobeats star Tiwa Savage has revealed that she would not advise her son, Jamal, to pursue a career in music, citing the emotional and financial toll the industry can have on artists.
Speaking in an exclusive interview on Afrobeats Intelligence with Joey Akan, the award-winning singer opened up about the harsh realities of the entertainment world and the difficulty of maintaining a successful music career.
“The rate of success is very slim,” she said. “Even if you’re blessed to [have hits], your lifespan might not be 10 years. It might not even be five years… Mentally, as well, imagine being an artist and you’re not really making as much as people think you are, but you have to live like you are.”
Savage, who is widely regarded as the queen of Afrobeats, also discussed the challenge of balancing motherhood and her demanding career. Reflecting on the pandemic lockdown, she shared that having a studio in her home blurred the lines between work and family, often keeping her up until 2 a.m. and limiting quality time with her son.
“Initially I was not spending time with my son… I couldn’t separate work from home because work was in my home. And I didn’t like that,” she said. “I wanted to be able to leave work and come home—especially for my son.”
She also recalled the early pressures of her career, when industry stakeholders tried to brand her as the “African Rihanna” and questioned the viability of her R&B-Afrobeats fusion.
“Everyone was like, ‘you’re a great singer, you look amazing.’ But I never got the call back,” she recounted, adding that many labels doubted her genre blend would work commercially.
Despite these obstacles, Tiwa Savage has risen to global prominence, but her latest remarks underscore the often unseen sacrifices behind the spotlight and why she wouldn’t want her child to walk the same path.
