In the face of recent claims from within the music industry that Afrobeats is experiencing a significant downturn, renowned singer Tiwa Savage has presented a powerful and contrasting viewpoint. She has publicly challenged assertions from music executives, who have separately suggested the genre is losing its momentum.
Speaking at the Unstoppable Africans event, Savage vehemently defended the genre’s global standing, arguing that reports of its decline are greatly exaggerated. She contended that the evidence points not to a slowdown, but to Afrobeats gaining unprecedented ground on international music charts and selling out major tours.
Beyond commercial success, the artist highlighted the profound cultural impact of Afrobeats. She shared a personal reflection, recalling a time growing up in London when she felt unhappy about her African heritage. Savage credited the genre’s positive global image with transforming her perspective, making her immensely proud of her roots today.
The singer also emphasised the genre’s achievements, noting they were accomplished against considerable odds. She pointed to a lack of initial support, industry structure, and infrastructure as hurdles that Afrobeats artists have had to overcome.
Read Also: Tiwa Savage Advocates Tems’ Inclusion In the Afrobeats “Big 3”
“Afrobeats is the fastest-growing genre in the world. We kind of created it with nothing; no support, no infrastructure, no real belief even from our own people initially,” she stated.
Savage continued, “I remember growing up in London, and I was not happy being African. But now I’m so proud because of how big Afrobeats is growing.”
Addressing sceptics who once predicted the genre would be a passing trend, she affirmed its lasting power. “There was a conversation at one point that Afrobeats is going to have its 15 minutes of fame and then fade away. But we are still here. We are not slowing down. In fact, we are filling out stadiums, and we are getting the biggest songs on the charts right now.”
Bolstering her argument with a demographic observation, she added, “I don’t know how true this is, but apparently one in every four black persons is a Nigerian or an African.”
In a concluding, defiant statement, Savage left no doubt about her position on the genre’s future: “So, we are not going anywhere. As much as they are trying to quiet us down, the music is not going anywhere. We are Africans and we are unstoppable.”
