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By Seyi Babalola
Tiwa Savage, a Nigerian music superstar, has addressed the rising discussion about Afrobeats’ alleged decline, claiming that the genre remains a worldwide force and is, in her words, “unstoppable”.
The musician, who spoke at the recent Unstoppable Africans event, refuted assertions from industry insiders that Afrobeats is undergoing its lowest period in two decades.
Music entrepreneur Paul Okoye, popularly known as Paulo, and renowned DJ Big N had previously stated that the genre was losing traction owing to a lack of creativity and audience fatigue.
But Tiwa Savage offered a powerful counterargument. According to her, Afrobeats continues to break global boundaries, dominate charts, and sell out arenas worldwide.
She emphasized that the genre’s achievements are remarkable, especially considering that it developed without strong industry structures or institutional support.
“Afrobeats is the fastest-growing genre in the world,” she said. “We kind of created it with nothing no support, no infrastructure, no real belief, even from our own people initially.”
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Reflecting on her personal journey, Savage revealed that she once struggled with her African identity while growing up in London. She recounted that societal stereotypes and negative portrayals of Africa made it difficult for her to embrace her heritage at the time.
However, she said the global success of Afrobeats has reshaped that narrative, instilling pride in Africans everywhere.
“I remember growing up in London, and I was not happy being African,” she said. “But now I’m so proud because of how big Afrobeats is growing.
“There was a conversation at one point that Afrobeats would 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 stadiums and getting the biggest songs on the charts right now.”
“I don’t know how true this is, but apparently one in every four black persons is a Nigerian or an African.
“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,” she remarked.
