Nigerian music star Tiwa Savage has broken her silence on her long-standing feud with fellow singer Seyi Shay, offering new insight into their highly publicised 2021 salon altercation and the roots of their strained relationship.
Speaking during an interview on the podcast “Off Air” with Gbemi O and Toolz, Tiwa addressed the infamous viral confrontation in a salon, where she openly confronted Seyi Shay over past issues.
Tiwa explained that the rift dated back to 2017, when Seyi Shay allegedly threw shade at her in her verse on the ‘Fvck You Challenge’ initiated by Kizz Daniel, a social media-driven music trend that saw several artists contribute personal verses. The challenge reportedly intensified underlying tensions between the two, leading to subtle digs and eventual open conflict.
“If you do something to me, I will let you know. I don’t have to let you know online. Like the whole shade thing, I’m not going to pretend like you and I are cool in a salon when you did a diss track,” Tiwa said during the podcast.
Denies Blocking Career Opportunities
Tiwa Savage also used the interview to deny long-running allegations that she had sabotaged the careers or business opportunities of Seyi Shay or other female artistes in the industry.
She stated that she was shocked and hurt when she first heard such claims, particularly the suggestion that she had tried to “block bags” (i.e., prevent financial or career opportunities) for Seyi Shay and singer Victoria Kimani.
“That was painful, and I didn’t know where it was coming from. Till today, maybe I need to have a conversation with Shay,” Tiwa said.
“I heard that they thought I blocked their bag. How? If you’ve heard from anybody that I tried to block your bag, mention the person so I can address it. I would never do that — I’m so pro-women.”
The Pepsi Campaign Incident
As part of her rebuttal, Tiwa cited a specific example to counter the sabotage claims. She recalled losing out on a Pepsi campaign in 2015 when she was pregnant with her son, Jamil, and stated that Seyi Shay was selected instead.
“When I got pregnant and had Jamil, I was taken off a Pepsi campaign, ‘Longer Throat’, and Shay was booked on it,” Tiwa explained.
“Go back and check it — Shay was a brand ambassador, I wasn’t. I was taken off because I couldn’t snap back in time. So how am I stopping other people’s bag? I wasn’t even mad. I got in the gym and got my body back.”
No Reconciliation Yet
Tiwa’s comments suggest that, despite the passage of time, there has been no reconciliation between the two artistes, though she hinted at the possibility of a future conversation to clear the air.
The 2021 salon incident — in which Tiwa confronted Seyi Shay after the latter greeted her despite past tensions — went viral and remains one of the most widely discussed celebrity feuds in recent Nigerian pop culture.
Tiwa Savage and Seyi Shay were once considered part of a new wave of Nigerian female artists redefining the Afrobeats genre. Their ongoing feud has sparked repeated debates over female unity in the entertainment industry and the pressures women face in male-dominated spaces.
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