Tiwa Savage, the renowned Afrobeats diva, has turned down the ‘Queen of Afrobeats’ title, citing that it comes with weighty responsibilities she doesn’t want to shoulder alone.
In a recent interview with Apple Music’s Ebro, Tiwa Savage revealed that while she appreciates being hailed as the “Queen of Afrobeats,” she personally doesn’t feel comfortable with the tag.
According to Tiwa Savage, the label is flattering but not something she wants to hold onto. “Yeah, they call me the Queen of Afrobeats, but there are a lot of us that are Queens,” she explained. The superstar stressed that accepting the crown could make her feel pressured to remain overly humble or live up to expectations she didn’t set for herself.
“It’s uncomfortable because I feel like if I start accepting it, I need to be humble and secondly, it doesn’t make sense to me. So, I don’t [accept it]. But I appreciate it. I didn’t come up with it,” Tiwa Savage said. She also pointed out that her being among the first female artists in Nigeria to break through internationally may have fueled the “Queen” narrative.
However, Tiwa Savage emphasized that she isn’t the only woman in Afrobeats deserving of accolades. “There are a lot of us. I think it’s just because I was one of the first female artists in Nigeria to breakthrough. I do appreciate that. I’m not taking it for granted,” she added.
