Nigeria, Jan. 10 -- Afrobeats did not become a global force by accident. It grew out of years of experimentation, resilience, cultural confidence, and the stubborn refusal of Nigerian artists to be limited by local constraints or foreign expectations. While the global narrative often credits the genre's rise to a handful of breakout male stars, that version of history is incomplete. It overlooks the role of women who fought to be visible, relevant, and enduring in an industry that rarely made room for them. At the centre of that overlooked story stands Tiwa Savage, an artist whose career has not only mirrored the evolution of Afrobeats but has actively reshaped it.

Tiwa Savage's significance lies not merely in her success, but in the con...