Nigerian singer and songwriter Tiwatope Savage, popularly known 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.
Savage made the revelation in 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.
The Afrobeats star also disclosed that she has remained celibate for three years.
She admitted that while she initially tried to cope with humour and by channelling her pain into music, the episode left lasting scars.
“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.
The singer explained that her then-boyfriend claimed the tape leaked by accident, but she later discovered it had been shared as part of a gamble. “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 revealed.
According to Savage, some people wrongly assumed that she orchestrated the leak for publicity.
“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 added.
“We tried, actually. But, it was just too traumatic for me to keep talking about it. I just wanted to move on,” she explained.
Savage explained that the backlash, particularly attacks linking the scandal to her son, was the hardest to endure.
“They brought my son into it and said I was unfit. That hurt me more than the actual thing,” she noted.
Savage said the ordeal continues to affect her music, with some songs still too painful to perform. Despite the trauma, she credited her family for helping her to cope, especially her mother.
“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 recalled.
She added that therapy has been key to her healing process and revealed that she has been celibate for about three years, prioritising meaningful connections over casual intimacy.
“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.
