Style Under Siege: Tiwa Savage Reveals How Ex-Husband Dictated Her Entire Appearance

In a recent appearance on the Afrobeats Intelligence podcast hosted by Joey Akan, the ‘Ma Lo’ hitmaker shared that she didn’t start out as the sultry superstar fans know today. Instead, she described her younger self as a tomboy who dressed in baggy clothes while working as a songwriter abroad.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Tiwa explained that her shift to a more daring, sexy image began after she returned to Nigeria to launch her singing career under Teebillz’s management. According to her, Teebillz recognized a gap in the industry and encouraged her to undergo a complete makeover—from hitting the gym and shaping her brows to wearing wigs and stylish outfits.

“Back then, I wasn’t naturally sexy—I was a tomboy. But TJ [Teebillz] saw a market gap. He said, ‘You have to lose weight, hit the gym, do your eyebrows, wear wigs.’ He literally transformed my entire look. I wasn’t like that when he met me in L.A.,” she said.

Recalling the bold visuals from her 2014 single ‘Wanted’, Tiwa said the styling was her way of pushing back against critics who claimed she was no longer desirable after marriage.

“That was my rebellious phase. People were saying I was finished, that I wasn’t sexy anymore. So, I said, ‘Okay, let me shock them,’” she added.

Despite the bold rebranding, Tiwa faced backlash in Nigeria. She recalled moments where she was blocked from performing at shows due to her outfits, and even had her music video for ‘Love Me’ banned from TV. Discouraged, she briefly returned to Los Angeles.

“There were times I’d be backstage, and they wouldn’t call me up to perform because someone like the governor’s wife had objected to my outfit. It was disheartening,” she said.

She concluded by revealing that her career faced early rejection, with major Nigerian labels such as Mo’Hits, Storm Records, and EME all turning her down—until she found her path and built her brand.