Nigerian music star Tiwa Savage has revealed that her ex-husband and former manager, Tunji “Teebillz” Balogun, was the driving force behind the transformation of her public image from a tomboy to a glamorous sex symbol.
Speaking on the Afrobeats Intelligence podcast hosted by Joey Akan, the award-winning singer recounted how her appearance and style were drastically altered upon her return to Nigeria to launch a music career.
“Tunji literally changed my whole appearance. I was not like that in L.A. when he met me,” Tiwa said. “I used to be a songwriter in the studio wearing baggy jeans and T-shirts.”
She explained that Teebillz saw a gap in the Nigerian music scene and encouraged her to embrace a more polished and sexy image, instructing her to lose weight, go to the gym, get her eyebrows done, and start wearing wigs.
“He was like, ‘Let’s give them the African Rihanna or Beyoncé.’ I was like, okay, let’s go ahead,” she recalled.
Tiwa noted that while her revamped image helped her stand out, it also attracted criticism and even censorship. “There was a time ‘Love Me’ was banned on TV. I was discouraged. I would go to shows and be waiting backstage and they wouldn’t call me because maybe the governor’s wife had said I can’t come up,” she said.
The Ma Lo hitmaker admitted the backlash pushed her to return temporarily to Los Angeles. “I ran back to L.A. because my fashion sense attracted criticism,” she said, adding that rejection from major labels like Storm Records, Mo’Hits, and EME added to her struggles.
Despite the rocky start, Tiwa says she eventually found her place and was inspired to return after receiving encouragement from fans and friends. “I remembered Bizzle called me and told me ladies were loving me, so I came back to Nigeria,” she said.
Her journey, she says, has been shaped by resilience, reinvention, and staying true to her evolving identity.
