Afrobeats’ Rise Fuels Pride in African Identity, Says Tiwa Savage
Renowned Nigerian singer Tiwa Savage has opened up about how the meteoric rise of the Afrobeats genre has transformed her sense of identity and pride as an African.
Speaking at the “Unstoppable Africans” event, Savage revealed that while growing up in London she struggled with embracing her African heritage, she now feels immense pride, owing in large part to the global success of Afrobeats. She described the genre as the “fastest-growing in the world,” highlighting how it has flourished despite lacking traditional support systems, infrastructure and internal belief at the start.
Savage challenged narratives suggesting that Afrobeats might be fleeting, pointing instead to its sustained momentum, chart successes and major live performances. “We are still here. We are not slowing down. In fact, we are filling out stadiums,” she said.
She also pointed to a demographic truth: she mentioned that one in every four Black persons globally is Nigerian or African, an indication of the scale and influence of the continent in shaping the genre’s reach.