Afrobeats Superstar Tiwa Savage on Her New R&B Album ‘This One Is Personal,’ and the Impact of Being Featured on Beyonce’s ‘Lion King’

Tiwa Savage's artistic evolution reaches a pivotal moment with her fourth studio album, "This One Is Personal," marking her official debut into the R&B genre. After more than a decade of shaping modern African music and earning the moniker "Queen of Afrobeats," the Grammy-nominated Nigerian superstar is revisiting her foundational roots. The project is a deliberate return to the passions that first ignited her career: her training as a jazz student at the prestigious Berklee College of Music and her early work as an R&B songwriter in the U.S.

The album, which began production in 2023, represents a significant sonic and thematic shift. Savage explores industry pressures, romance, and personal insecurities, with the single "10%" playfully highlighting casual entanglements. To achieve an authentic sound, much of the album was recorded live in jam sessions across locations from Nashville to London. This approach features collaborations with UK rap heavyweight Skepta, rising Nigerian talent Taves, and Grammy-winning songwriter James Fauntleroy, known for his work with Rihanna and SZA. Savage notes this intentional process took over two years, stating the project was so personal that outside opinions wouldn't have altered her vision. Music critic Anika Wells observes, "This album isn't just a genre shift; it's a reclamation of artistic identity. Savage is leveraging her deep musical education to bridge continents and genres."

Reflecting on her journey, Savage acknowledges key influences that prepared her for this moment, including an early connection with the enigmatic Frank Ocean during their days as budding songwriters. Her career trajectory saw a major boost from her feature on Beyoncé's 2019 album "The Lion King: The Gift," a project that introduced numerous African artists to a global audience and paved the way for her own U.S. breakthrough with 2020's "Celia." Now, at 45, she is embracing a new creative freedom. "I was calculating before, creating hit records for the Afrobeats audience," she says. "Now, I'm getting back to the mentality I learned from people like James and Frank—you just have to be authentic."

Navigating the media landscape across different continents has presented its own contrasts. Savage points out that interviews in the U.S. and U.K. tend to focus intently on her artistry, whereas Nigerian media often delves more into personal life. This pivot into R&B also intersects with broader conversations about genre labeling within the African music scene. Savage empathizes with artists who feel boxed in by the "Afrobeats" tag, noting the global blending of genres makes such categories increasingly fluid. While she has historically shared the "Queen of Afrobeats" title to acknowledge other pioneering women in the genre, she is learning to fully embrace her foundational role. "I can't run from it," she admits, "but while I'm receiving my flowers, I'm extending some to other women, too."

Looking ahead, Savage expresses palpable excitement about touring to bring the new album to life. If she has one career regret, it's not embarking on this deeply personal R&B journey sooner. "I wish I'd done this type of project with my full chest a lot earlier," she concludes, signaling that this introspective work is both a homecoming and a bold new beginning.