Afrobeats singer Tiwa Savage has revealed why she decided to launch a music foundation at this stage of her career.
She spoke in an interview with Naija News during the unveiling of the music foundation, a project aimed at helping emerging talents navigate the music industry.
“I went to Berklee College of Music as a scholarship student. Someone made a decision to invest in me when I didn’t have the full means to invest in myself, and that changed the entire direction of my life,” Tiwa Savage said.
She explained that the experience taught her more than music alone; it taught her the business side of the industry and how to turn talent into a sustainable career. “I’ve carried that with me through everything,” she added.
The singer said the foundation comes at a mature stage in her career.
“Now I’m at a point where I have the platform, the relationships, and the credibility to build something real. A proper, structured, lasting initiative. That combination doesn’t come early in your career. It comes when you’ve done the work, built the trust, and earned the right to put your name on something and have it mean something. That’s where I am now. And that’s why now.”
Reflecting on her journey, Tiwa Savage said the foundation also addresses a part of her story that is often overlooked.
“People see the stages, the collaborations, the covers, the accolades, and they assume the path was straighter than it was. It wasn’t. I was a student once, somebody who needed a scholarship to access the education that changed my life. That support mattered enormously. I want young African creatives who have the talent but not always the pathway to know that there is a structured path available, and that the right support at the right moment can change everything.”
Tiwa Savage also spoke about the lessons she learned from the challenges along the way.
“A career in this industry, or any career requires more than talent. It requires knowledge, understanding your rights, your contracts, your worth. I want young creatives coming up to have those tools from the beginning, not discover them the hard way,” she said.
Addressing questions about whether the foundation signals a step away from music, Tiwa Savage was clear.
“The foundation doesn’t exist separate from my music career; it exists because of it. Every stage I’ve stood on, every record I’ve made, has led to a place where I can now do something like this with credibility and weight behind it. If anything, this makes me more committed to music, not less.
“Every time I perform, every time I release, I’m also representing something larger a foundation, a generation of young African creatives who are watching what’s possible and deciding whether to believe in their own futures.”
The foundation, known as the Tiwa Savage Music Foundation, was launched to provide mentorship, education and industry access for emerging African creatives.
The programme will train 100 selected participants in areas such as live performance, songwriting, music production and the business of music.
