Nigerian star and award-winning singer, songwriter and actress, Tiwatope Omolara Savage, known professionally as Tiwa Savage, has revealed that her 2021 leaked sex tape was circulated as part of a bet, describing the experience as one of the most painful moments of her life.
The Afrobeats star also disclosed that she has remained celibate for the past three years.
She made this revelation during an interview with The Breakfast Club, released on Tuesday, where she spoke candidly about how the scandal affected her personal life, career, and mental health.
Tiwa said she initially coped with humour and by channelling the pain into her songs, but admitted the episode cut deeper.
“When I talked about the sex tape … that’s how I was able to kind of like, 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 said.
She revealed that while her boyfriend at the time claimed the tape was leaked accidentally, she later learned it had been circulated as part of a bet.
“He said he was trying to save it, and then he pressed send by accident… I later on found out that it was a bet with his friends,” she said.
The singer added that many assumed she staged the leak for attention.
“They thought I did it for PR. A lot of people thought, ‘oh, she’s not relevant anymore, and she’s doing this.’ And I’m like, guys, trust me, if I wanted to do that, I would have had better lighting,” she said.
Efforts to pursue the case also failed because of the emotional toll.
“We tried, actually. But yeah, we couldn’t. And me trying was just, it was just too traumatic for me to keep talking about it. I just wanted to move on from it,” she explained.
Tiwa said the backlash from the public, including attacks on her role as a mother, was harder to bear than the tape itself.
“They brought my son into it and said I was unfit… my son’s gonna grow up and see this and he’s gonna be disappointed in his mom. That hurt me more than the actual thing,” she said.
She noted the experience has influenced her music, with some songs still too painful to perform.
“There were a lot of times I was crying, especially the first record. That took me like four attempts to record. Even now when I listen to the album, I skip that. I haven’t been able to perform it. It was tough,” she said.
In spite of the trauma, she credited her family for their 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,” Savage added.
The singer also revealed she has been turning to therapy and has shifted how she views love and intimacy.
“For therapy, yeah, a lot of people say to me you’re wasting your money. I’m like, what? I love my son, I love my team, my friends. I’ve been married before, I’m 45, I’m good,” she said.
On her personal life, Savage admitted she has gone years without intimacy and doesn’t chase it outside of meaningful connections.
“I don’t know if I don’t come attached. I’ve gone like maybe three years without. I have to be with someone for me to even think about it. I don’t have toys… maybe that’s what people should get me for Christmas,” she joked.