From her early days in the UK — studying at Berklee College of Music and quietly building her craft as a songwriter and background vocalist for icons like Mary J. Blige and Whitney Houston — to her return to Nigeria at a time when modern Afrobeats was only beginning to find its identity, Tiwa Savage’s journey has always been shaped by instinct, timing, and an uncommon ability to anticipate where the culture was headed.
Her signing with Don Jazzy’s Mavin Records positioned her at the centre of a new wave in Nigerian music — a movement that would eventually reshape global pop culture, dominate international charts, and command stages worldwide. Since then, Tiwa has moved fluidly between sounds, audiences, and continents, collaborating globally while remaining grounded in an unmistakable African identity. Very few artists have sustained that balance with such consistency.
If her career proves anything, it is that longevity is rarely about remaining in one lane. It is about understanding when to evolve — and knowing exactly why.
That evolution is reflected in the launch of the Tiwa Savage Foundation, created in partnership with Berklee College of Music. While it may appear, at first glance, to be a programme aimed at training emerging African creatives in performance, songwriting, production, and music business, it carries a deeper significance. It mirrors Tiwa’s own path — combining formal education with industry experience — and transforms it into something structured, accessible, and designed for long-term impact.
Because despite Afrobeats’ global explosion, the industry behind the scenes is still developing. Stars have emerged at an impressive pace, but the supporting ecosystem — producers, engineers, managers, publishers, and business structures — has not always grown at the same speed. It is a gap Tiwa understands intimately, having experienced it both as a young creative searching for direction and as an established artist navigating an industry still building itself in real time.
This is exactly where the Foundation positions itself.
This is not a vanity project attached to a successful career. Rather, it feels like a natural next step — a progression shaped by experience, perspective, and a desire to build something that lasts beyond personal achievements. In this conversation with Yinka Olatubosun, Tiwa speaks not only as an artist, but as someone thinking intentionally about structure, sustainability, and what it means to create opportunities that outlive you.
Congratulations, Tiwa, on the launch of your Foundation. Was there a defining moment in your career that made you realise it was time to build something beyond music, and why did this feel like the right moment to finally take that step?
Thank you very much. Music has been my life for over two decades, and one of the most transformative moments in my journey was receiving a scholarship to study at Berklee College of Music. That experience completely expanded my understanding of music. I was taught all aspects of the music industry, including performance, songwriting, film scoring, mixing engineering, and the business of music.
Being in that environment showed me that when talent is supported with the right education and exposure, great things happen.
Building this Foundation has been a dream of mine since I graduated from Berklee, and my team and I have been working on it for well over five years. The idea was born from a deep desire to give African students the same kind of opportunity I received — which essentially changed my life.
Going right in, how much of your personal experience would you say shaped the direction and structure of the Foundation?
My entire experience at Berklee shaped the Foundation significantly. Studying there exposed me to the full ecosystem of music — songwriting, production, music business, scoring, publishing, and the technical side of how global hits are created and distributed.
It helped me understand that sustainable success in music is built on knowledge, structure, and collaboration, not just talent. That perspective influenced the Foundation’s direction to ensure that African students are not only developing creatively but also gaining the technical and strategic tools needed to compete globally.
I wanted the programme to reflect the reality of the modern music industry, which is diverse, innovative, and increasingly influenced by technology.
What made Berklee the right partner for this, and what does this collaboration represent for African music education?
Berklee College of Music is the world’s number one contemporary music school. When I received a scholarship about 20 years ago, it opened doors for me and broadened my understanding of what a music career could look like beyond being an artist. Berklee created an environment for me as an African artist that allowed me to learn genres like jazz, classical, R&B, gospel — things I wasn’t fully exposed to before — while still holding on to my identity and African roots.
This collaboration is about creating the same opportunity I was given, but scaling it so more young Africans can benefit. It creates a bridge between African talent and world-class education. It represents access, exposure, and the chance for African students to develop skills that position them not just as participants in the global industry, but as leaders within it.
How does this programme differ from the more traditional forms of music mentorship we’ve seen in Nigeria?
Traditional mentorship is great, and this programme is designed as an educational pipeline. Participants will gain exposure to areas such as music production, songwriting, scoring, publishing, music business, sound design, and emerging fields like AI in music.
We are not only preparing artists. We are preparing industry leaders who can build sustainable careers and contribute to the long-term growth of African music as an economic force.
You’re not just focusing on artists, but on the entire ecosystem — production, business, and technical skills. Why was that important to you?
One of the biggest lessons from my education was that music is not just about the artist we see on stage. Behind every successful record is a network of professionals shaping the sound, protecting the intellectual property, building strategy, and creating opportunities.
I wanted the Foundation to reflect that reality by exposing students to the full spectrum of careers within music — production, songwriting, sound engineering, business, scoring, and emerging fields like music technology and AI. By developing expertise across the ecosystem, we ensure that African talent is represented at every level of the global industry.
Some participants may advance to Berklee while others continue their journey within Nigeria. How does the Foundation plan to track its progress and measure long-term success?
Success will be measured both qualitatively and quantitatively. We will track academic progress, especially for students who end up receiving the full scholarship to attend Berklee in Boston to pursue their undergraduate degree.
However, long-term success is not only about individual achievements. It is about how participants go on to impact the wider industry, create jobs, and inspire others.
We are building a network of alumni who will continue to support one another, ensuring the impact multiplies over time.
This already feels like a legacy project. What structures are you putting in place to ensure sustainability beyond the initial cohorts?
Sustainability is built into the structure of the Foundation through partnerships, strategic funding models, and long-term educational collaborations.
We are also creating governance frameworks that allow the Foundation to operate independently of any single individual. The vision is to build an institution that continues to evolve and support future generations long after the founding cohort. Eventually, my dream is to build an actual Berklee flagship school here in Nigeria and expand across the whole of Africa.
On the scholarship pathways, what key performance indicators will determine who progresses to the next level?
Progression will be based on a combination of academic performance, creative output, commitment, collaboration, and leadership potential.
We are looking for individuals who not only demonstrate talent but also discipline, curiosity, and the willingness to contribute positively to the ecosystem.
Is there a roadmap to expand this programme to other African cities, or will it remain centred in Lagos for now?
Yes, that’s the plan. Lagos is a natural starting point because it is one of the cultural capitals of African music, and it is also my hometown. The long-term vision is pan-African. Talent exists in every corner of the continent, and the goal is to eventually create access points across multiple African cities, ensuring that geography is not a limitation to opportunity.
Do you see yourself eventually stepping back from music to focus more on initiatives like this, or will both continue to run side by side?
No. Never. I will sing till the very end, just like many of the great legends I admire who are still performing till today. This Foundation is not a departure from music; it is an extension of it. Both will continue side by side because creating impact within the industry is just as meaningful to me as creating music.
If you could give your younger self one piece of advice before stepping into the industry, what would it be?
I would tell my younger self that your journey will not always follow the timeline you expect, but every season has purpose.
Stay curious, stay disciplined, and never allow anyone else’s pace to define your value. Longevity is built on growth, not comparison.
You’ve had a career that has evolved across continents, sounds, and eras of African music. At this stage of your journey, what does success look like to you now?
Success now is about impact. It is about creating pathways that make the journey easier for the next generation than it was for mine.
For me, success is seeing the Tiwa Savage Music Foundation as a fully-fledged brick-and-mortar building here in Lagos — a place where students from all over the world will come for a world-class education in music.
Beyond the charts and accolades, what has this journey taught you about yourself?
This journey has really shown me that I’m resilient, patient, and how strong my faith in God really is. It has shown me that purpose often reveals itself gradually, through both victories and challenges.