The 20 Essential Tiwa Savage Songs
From “Kele Kele” to “Stamina” and “Loaded,” here are the 20 best songs from Nigerian superstar Tiwa Savage.
Emerging just before the turn of the 2010s, Tiwa Savage embodies the rise of Afrobeats on the global stage.
The 2000s relayed a sonically-inventive core for the music coming out of Africa, variant and vibrant, but in regards to establishing themselves as superstars there was some deficit. The branding had to change; it had to swirl with visual influences that were at once African and global, and that was what Savage brought to the scene. A bright R&B-influenced core was heard in her early music, but through the pidgin English-inflected songwriting and the imagery she evoked, the end product was a perfect depiction of the coolness African music needed to get to the next level.
More than fifteen years after the release of those records, Savage is still here, still repurposing the edges of her sound. She’s done this through collaboration, but also through an open-eyed perspective which has seen her work through the different sonic eras the scene has witnessed since her initial bow. With several prestigious awards to show — including the MTV Europe Music Awards and several Headies awards — it’s stating the obvious to say that Savage is a legend of popular African music.
Ms Savage’s iconic status is even more important when one considers the many talented artists that have come after her, including Tems, Ayra Starr, Qing Madi and Kold AF, all having spoken to the influence of her technique and tenacity.
This list accounts for her most essential records — her songs and those she’s featured on, included— that have been released through the years.
"Kele Kele"
Spritzy, this record showcased Savage’s uncanny ability to be playful while relaying serious themes. In this case, it’s a reaffirmation of her desire to be loved properly, not one for receiving crumbs of affection. Its bubbly production and colorful video was similarly effective in propelling the record to an instant favorite upon release.
"Love Me, Love Me , Love Me"
When Savage sings about love, you have to listen. Her songwriting culls in the influences of classic R&B singers, which is no surprise considering she once worked backup vocals for Mary J. Blige and once participated in the UK’s edition of X Factor. As its title suggests, “Love Me, Love Me, Love Me” demands love but it does so in a breezy fashion, not in the classic image of crying under the rain but knowing one’s worth and waiting for the other person to realize it.
"Without My Heart" feat. Don Jazzy
Together, the voices of Savage and her former Mavin Records boss Don Jazzy have blended to create memorable records. Apart from an uncanny understanding of each other’s favored style, their tones are almost always aligned and few records demonstrate that better than “Without My Heart.” An avowed classic, it boasts what is arguably the best-ever verse from Don Jazzy sweetly paired with the host’s serenading vocals.
"Wanted"
Banned from the airwaves at the time of its release, this was a record which stared bravely into the face of Nigerian conservatism. Savage has been pushing the frontiers of sensual expression and that vision peaked on “Wanted,” whose video seems even mild compared to what is seen today. Still, that zest for creative freedom cannot be undermined, even more so when one considers how stifling African societies tend to be.
"Oyi Remix" with Flavour
When two veterans of serenading meet, the result is bound to be epic. Back then Flavour was more known for his vivacious rendering of sensual narratives but through the illuminating collaboration of this remix, he broadened his sound. The chorus translates from the Igbo language as “I dey catch cold,” which then becomes a way of speaking to urgent romantic desire—the need to reach out and hold one’s beloved.
"Girlie 'O' Remix" with Patoranking
Before Patoranking became one of Africa’s most successful exports to the Caribbean, he was working his way out of the Lagos scene, with a few huge co-signs to his name. However, none propelled him — at least, visually — as this collaboration with Savage, whose inimitable flair polishes the afro-dancehall core of the record. Looking to the future, one can also say this was where Savage began sharpening the edges of her collaborative mastery, over the years giving such features to artists on the rise.
"Eminado" feat. Don Jazzy
Yet another demonstration of elite musical chemistry, “Eminado” was an important record for Afrobeats. It didn’t shatter charts or do unheard-of feats, but its success was contained purely in the sound: groovy, interactive, versatile. It could, and did rock, several scenes regardless of the demography. With its titular word also becoming a popular culture reference at the time, the song was etched solidly into classic status.
"All Over"
A quintessential pop record, “All Over” pulled variant demographics like few songs before it. One could hear its sunny percussions everywhere, and even though a romantic interest lies at the heart of the record, it’s the repetitive and instantly-catchy chorus which resonated with its listeners. It was like a carefree call to play.
"Ma Lo" feat. Wizkid & Spellz
There’s a lot of good records between Wizkid and Savage but this one takes the cherry. At a time when both stars were often seen together, sparking rumors of a relationship, this record proved they knew how to translate attention into worthy music. Brought to life by the steady hands of Spellz, it’s a chill record which ranks quite high on both musician’s catalog.
"49-99"
The difference between Afrobeats and the Fela Kuti-pioneered Afrobeat has never been so keenly contested, but on this record, Savage remarkably blurs the two. Through her strong grasp on contemporary lingo, the song is unarguably a product of its time but the vivid production, with Kuti’s trademark chorus voices, advances the ethos, moving beautifully between both distinct styles.
"Ife Wa Gbona" feat. Leo Wonder
The finest demonstration of Savage’s folksy attributes, her collaboration with Leo Wonder brought this one home. For listeners who followed her early music, there was a misty-eyed innocence about this record (and its rural-nodding visuals) which gave it classic potential, and over the years, its evergreen quality has delivered on that potential.
"Diet" with Reminisce, Slimcase & DJ Enimoney
When she wants to, Savage can get into a zesty street-hop perspective. That versatility has proven to be one of her defining strengths, as she glides across genres without breaking a sweat, and here one finds sufficient proof. Released at the time of the shaku shaku wave, “Diet” is an essential record of the era and a demonstration of how Savage is able to blend with just about anyone on a track.
"Ello Baby" with Kizz Daniel & Young Jonn
Another pop record in the mold of “All Over,” this one was an instant hit. Ostensibly due to the hit-making potential of Kizz Daniel and Young Jonn, the magnetic personality of Savage was the adhesive and balance the record needed. Her verse was a crowning of the three-way collaboration which, when done well, has tended to provide memorable moments within the archive of modern Nigerian pop.
"Tales By Moonlight" feat. Amaarae
It seems trite to say Savage walked so Amaarae could fly, but that’s true. Here is a natural alliance of their ideals, as both distinct voices meet halfway to create the sensual, riveting allure of this record. A standout from her ecclesiastical Water & Garri project, it’s one of the most purposeful collaborations Savage has done across her glittering career.
"Lova Lova" feat. Duncan Mighty
When Duncan Mighty, that illustrious troubadour of southern narratives made a comeback circa 2018, it was this collaboration with Savage that solidified that essential re-introduction. She gave him the necessary modern edge, which in turn created a delectable lamba-streaked offering that continues to turn parties up till this day.
"Gbese" with Majeeed
Another proof of her immense longevity, “Gbese” sees Savage give a glittering feature to Majeeed, one of the most talented acts of new-school Afrobeats. It’s a fine combination that brings together the strengths of both artists, creating an inimitable song that has all the properties of an evergreen record.
"Stamina" with Ayra Starr & Young Jonn
Undoubtedly, Savage knows how to shine on three-way records and this ranks high among her best. Linking up with Ayra Starr and Young Jonn, it’s a typical pop record in the sense that it brings together disparate topics and attempts to sew them through the prism of a romantic get-together. The execution is flawless though, with Savage being the core that holds the distinct styles of the other two artists.
"Who is your Guy? (Remix)" with Spyro
One of the most penetrating hit songs of its time, this ode to friendship could only be bettered by Savage. And it’s beautiful Spyro recognizes that, because this remix easily brings the record into the fullness of its potential. It’s a keeper, true and effervescent, because that’s how Africans know to nurture community.
"Somebody’s Son" feat. Brandy
Unarguably her most potent crossover record, there’s a classic soulfulness to the vulnerability on display. Love, or the seeking of it, is dismissed with a shrug when one gets to a certain age but Savage sings for the eternal appeal of the emotion. It’s an affirmative record, and with the feature of American superstar Brandy on its remix, it was carried on the wings of purposeful collaboration. It goes without saying that Savage could have gotten a younger, more ubiquitous star but Brandy doesn’t just work to the record’s sound, she elevates its narrative premise as well.
"Loaded" with Asake
The 2020s hasn’t yet witnessed an African star as magnetic as Asake. His entry into the scene was the stuff of legends, emerging into a novel sound and vibrant imagery like few others were doing. It thus makes a lot of sense for Savage to reach out arms of friendship to the new star and it makes even more sense that the resulting effort sees them talking about their accomplishments and bragging with breezy affluence, both artists meeting themselves halfway in the name of sound.
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