Nigerian music sensation Tiwa Savage broke her silence in blistering detail about how she rode out one of the most sinister moments of her life, a sex tape scandal that erupted in October 2021, and how survival was boiled down to one stark but brutal decision: not to think about it.
45-year-old Afrobeats star, globally renowned with hits like All Over and Somebody’s Son, sat down with British media personality Zeze Mills for an uncensored interview that was released Friday, August 8, 2025, on YouTube. The scandal first ever occurred to coincide with another personal tragedy, the death of her father, to form what she described as the darkest moment in her life.
“My dad died and my sex tape was released. The only way I could have survived was not to think about it,” she told Mills, speaking in a serene voice that belied the weight of those years.
The Scandal That Shook Afbeats
Savage became international news in late 2021 when a private bedroom video leaked into public circulation online, allegedly leaked by an unknown person who tried to blackmail her. The news fueled a storm of speculation, as social media, Nigerian newspapers, and international publications all dissected the scandal.
Rather than issuing public declarations of some length or staying out of the spotlight altogether, Savage reports that she made the unusual choice to psychically shut the experience down, a strategy she feels was the only way of moving on.
“I didn’t think about it,” she replied matter-of-factly, saying compartmentalizing was the only way of coping with shame and grief at the same time.
Finding Gratitude Amid Chaos
Savage called her sit-down with Mills “a blessing” during the interview, grateful to be able to speak her truth unfiltered.
“Being here on the couch with you is such a blessing. Just the fact that you even want to talk to me, people want to hear what I want to say after how many years. It feels good. I’ve gone through so much, but have I really enjoyed the moment?” she reflected.
Her language suggested an aching recognition that in surviving scandal and personal loss, she may have forfeited the joy of simply being there in her own professional success.”
Love, Loss, and Harsh Realizations
The interview also became intensely personal when Savage discussed her history with romantic relationships. With a forthright disclosure, she characterized what she had thought was love, like her marriage, as infatuation.
“I’ve never felt true love except with my son,” she admitted. “Looking back at my relationships, even my marriage, I realise it wasn’t love.”
Her honesty didn’t stop there. Savage also shared with her growing uncertainty if there is romantic love in her future period.
Maybe love is not intended for me because I have attempted so many times, thus maybe love is not intended for me in this life,” she stated, with a tone of resignation.
