Afrobeats queen, Tiwatope Savage, popularly known as Tiwa Savage, has revealed that her 2021 leaked sex tape was not an accident but was circulated as part of a bet. She described the incident as one of the most painful experiences of her life, adding that it has left lasting scars on her personal and professional journey.
Speaking on The Breakfast Club in an interview released Tuesday, Savage said while she initially masked the pain with humour and music, the trauma cut much deeper than she admitted at the time.
“When I talked about the sex tape … that’s how I was able to try and get through it. But in hindsight, did I really deal with it? I don’t think so. I was hurt. I was a victim,” she confessed.
According to her, her then-boyfriend had claimed the video was leaked accidentally, but she later discovered it had been shared among his friends as part of a wager.
“He said he was trying to save it and then pressed send by accident. I later found out it was a bet with his friends,” she disclosed.
Savage noted that the public backlash, especially attacks on her role as a mother, was more devastating than the tape itself.
“They brought my son into it, saying I was unfit. They said my son would grow up and be disappointed in me. That hurt me more than the actual thing,” she said.
The award-winning singer explained that the ordeal shaped her music, with some songs too emotional for her to perform even today.
“There were a lot of times I was crying, especially during the first recording. It took me four attempts to get through it. Even now, when I listen to the album, I skip that track,” she admitted.
Despite the trauma, Savage credited her family, particularly her mother, for their unwavering support.
“My mom called me and said, ‘don’t listen to them, I’m just happy that you’re enjoying yourself.’ Hearing my mom say that helped,” she shared.
Savage also revealed she has embraced therapy and has shifted her outlook on love and intimacy.
“I’ve gone maybe three years without intimacy. I have to be with someone to even think about it. I don’t have toys… maybe that’s what people should get me for Christmas,” she joked.
Now 45, Savage says she is focused on her music, her son, and living life on her own terms.