Nigerian music star Tiwa Savage has dismissed recent claims suggesting that Afrobeats is experiencing its worst run in two decades.
Her response comes after several industry figures, including music executive Paul Okoye (Paulo) and DJ Big N, voiced concerns about the genre’s supposed decline in interviews and online discussions.
Speaking at the Unstoppable Africans event, Tiwa Savage countered those claims, declaring that Afrobeats remains the fastest-growing music genre in the world.
“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 said.
Savage emphasized that, far from fading, Afrobeats continues to dominate charts, sell out arenas, and elevate Africa’s image on the global stage.
“There was a conversation at one point that Afrobeats was 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 getting the biggest songs on the charts right now,” she added.
Reflecting on her journey, the Somebody’s Son crooner revealed that she once struggled with her African identity while growing up in London, but Afrobeats’ rise has changed that.
“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,” she shared.
The singer also highlighted the unifying and empowering influence of the genre, stressing that its cultural and global reach proves it’s here to stay.
“As much as they are trying to quiet us down, the music is not going anywhere. We are Africans, and we are unstoppable,” she declared.
Despite the challenges of limited infrastructure and institutional support, Tiwa Savage said Afrobeats continues to thrive through the resilience and creativity of African artists.
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