Is singer the best female artiste in Africa?

For any lady who has had to go through the rigors of childbirth and all its attendant problems, getting back your career to the shape it was before the hiatus is one uphill task. But when you work in entertainment, especially in these fluid times, where attention span and fan loyalty are in short supply, then the task becomes gargantuan.

Tiwa Savage – Alpha-female performer, Mavin Queen, African titan, urban tastemaker, pop darling, and musical amazon – has found getting into her groove a bit of an uphill task.

For Tiwa, having a child meant taking time off from work. It was a tough call as she was actively involved in mainstream music and had to slowly take her foot off the pedal. She recorded her “RED” album during this period, but was unable to release music. Her performances slowly ground to a halt, because she had to take it easy for the child’s sake. The blissful pleasure of delivering her child was there, but she had to make some compromises, for a while.

On the endorsement front, Forte Oil was kept on hold. A pregnant superstar marketing engine oils, or working the fuel pumps for the camera isn’t much joy to behold. But e-commerce platform, Konga, took creative advantage with Tiwa starring in pregnancy ads to boost sales.

The industry took a shift in Tiwa’s absence, as Yemi Alade grew in stature and influence, and Seyi Shay’s music became pop. Many quarters will argue that these occurrences are inconsequential to Tiwa’s fortunes, but in many ways they are. Music as a business is competitive, with the interplay of multiple emotional and unscientific factors having an influence on whose star gets to shine brightest. Tiwa’s hiatus left a vacuum in the industry. That space needed to be taken up.

Tiwa gave birth to her son Jamil in July 2015, and after a couple of months, had to return to work. Her ‘mumback’ was on.

Project ‘Mumback’ for the singer has been quite a journey. Musically, she took her time, as Mavin Records crafted the shocker for the industry. A single release was never enough. What was needed was the album.

Tiwa’s “RED” album made headlines in December, with promotions beginning to kick off this January. The first single of the work ‘African Waist’ was dropped in December, with a visual to get things rolling.

That visual shows what Africa missed in her absence. Tiwa combined cultural pride and colours, with premium urban taste to share entertainment. Two weeks after release, it stood at just under 500 thousand views. Today, it stands proud with almost two million views.

The “RED” album which boasts singles such as ‘Ovation’ ft Olamide, ‘Rewind’, ‘If I start to talk’ ft Dr SID, and many others have hit the streets, and distribution began in earnest.

This album signifies the entrance of a  new Tiwa Savage – a singer who combines familial mummy duties, with pop relevance. She wasn’t at her best yet as she learned to adapt to her new life. But aided by the supporting cast at the Mavins and her savvy manager/ husband, the signs look good for her.

Tiwa also has had to endure a miscarriage this year in London, and also dealt with marital problems, which separated her and her husband in one of the most covered stories on the continent. Nevertheless, she has bounced back to the fore, with the power of her brand propelling her.

Her other competition her not fared strongly, with one battling to save her album from flopping, and the other chasing public humiliation with a string of high profile gaffes.

Today, she is set to announce a deal with Roc Nation.

The Mavin Records singer had weeks ago, been the subject of unconfirmed reports that a deal with the label was in the offing. Savage, 36, who has had a topsy-turvy year, was pictured at the Roc Nation offices with Don Jazzy and Jay Z. The deal is expected to be announced officially in the coming days, with everyone geared up for it.

When the deal is made public, Tiwa officially becomes a client of the company which also includes Rihanna, DJ Khaled, Big Sean, Shakira, Meek Mill, Fabolous, DJ Mustard, Emeli Sande, Angie Martinez and more. The singer has long been argued as the best female artiste in Africa, with her market value so high, that it has crossover potential.

This has been the year of African music. With the exploits of Wizkid so far, there has been a concerted global campaign towards African pop music. Davido has a deal with Sony, and Ayo Jay just got signed to RCA. There are still rumours of more in the making, with the continent being opened up and labels marking up their territories as experts forecast an arms race to grab the best acts with crossover potential.

The benefits of this deal are immense for Tiwa Savage. It has the potential to make Tiwa Savage the first Nigerian female pop star to crossover into international and perhaps, global recognition. There are opportunities for better management and collaborations could help amplify her talent and image in the Western market, thereby enabling more penetration and profit.

Then there’s also the spillover of this back home. Tiwa Savage is already a colossus in the country, but deals like this could help push past her previous ceilings of earnings, thereby increasing her market value, her performance fees, and endorsement fees.

No Nigerian artiste currently has a deal with Roc Nation, but rumors persist that the deal could also be extended to others. Two years ago, US rapper, Wale, suggested to the powers at the music company that Wizkid will be a viable signing. But that idea was never followed through. He would have been the first Nigerian pop star to clinch a deal of this magnitude.

African Music is currently growing in the West, with many known voices identifying with the sounds originating from these shores. Tiwa Savage’s deal is a clear manifestation of this trend. She is the biggest female artiste in Africa, with huge crossover potential, and this deal proves it.