Eighteen. Full of life. Hard working. Truthful. Playful. Aggressive. These words only start to describe Tiwa. An upcoming singer who will not let anything come in her way. Singing since she was 11, she was never aware of her singing ability. `I had no clue I could really sing. Just that I enjoyed the essence of music' she says. Growing up in East London in an African home, Tiwa was exposed to all kinds of music. 'You would be surprised at what kind of music I listened to.'. And indeed you would, from listening to her songs you would not imagine that her musical roots grew from artists such as Dolly Parton, George Michael, Phil Collins and UB40. Later on in her young life she listened to artists such as Whitney Houston, The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Mariah Carey, Bobby Brown, Lionel Ritchie, Luther Vandross, the list could go on. ` I loved everything that appealed to my ears. I would learn songs word for word naturally. `By the time she was in secondary school she took up vocal lessons and over the years took part in different performances. Whether it was group performances or solo performances she always had a way of shining. `I treat music like my baby, I never let it out of my sight and take great care with it, and I guess people get that and enjoy while I sing.'While you have the Beyonces and the Mariahs, Tiwa wants to set herself from the rest as well as follow the sexy trend. 'There is nothing wrong in wanting to be sexy and portraying that in your singing. It’s a way that every woman and man wants to feel. So what's wrong with me being suggestive but yet discreet?' This is a Tiwa protecting her music - treating her music like her baby. As you will soon get to realize, Tiwa's music has a way of exploring different emotions. From ' simply beautiful' a song she wrote to a relationship that was already dying to 'yes' an infectious song she wrote to please the common man's ear. ‘When I write my songs I have me, myself and I in mind. I know it sounds selfish but I’m writing what's in my mind not what everyone wants to hear. Ima say what I want and say it directly without hesitation.'In her gallery of songs she boasts a good variety. 'One Thing' is about guy's simple mentality towards women 'the song is a song of impatience with men and their narrow minded minds that only think of one thing.'.
'They don't know' is a song that defends the feeling of being in love with a thug. ' yes I admit is I was in love with a bad boy and it hurts like hell when people didn't understand why you love him and they just making life hell for us both.'
'Without you' is a song of empowerment. 'This is me basically saying you broke it off with me and all of a sudden you want my ass back- I don't think so'
Her list of songs could go on forever.Her style is ‘me, anything I’m singing to you is what I’m going through- through my own eyes. I don’t anyone else story, my story is long enough. So when you listen, listen with an open mind because it’s me talking to you.’Asked what her future plans are she says ' Have fun with my music. I have so many aspirations but for now music is my main focus. I want to be able to make several albums and age gracefully with music.'So there you have it, music's new edition- Tiwa.
