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The Rebirth of Tiwa Savage

By Chinelo Eze
03 October 2019   |   5:00 pm
Tiwa Savage released a new single and video, '49-99' on Thursday 5th of September, 2019 with the ushering of a listening party where she explained the formation that saw to the birth of the song. This 3:22 seconds song produced by Pheelz is her first single under her new record label Universal Music Group. She uses…

Tiwa Savage

Tiwa Savage released a new single and video, ’49-99′ on Thursday 5th of September, 2019 with the ushering of a listening party where she explained the formation that saw to the birth of the song. This 3:22 seconds song produced by Pheelz is her first single under her new record label Universal Music Group. She uses this new platform to give us a newer version of her like we have never seen before.

The title and the song as a whole is an embodiment and inspiration from the afrobeat king “Fela Anikulapo kuti” whose songs were largely satirical and prophetic.  The first line of her song says, “49 sitting, 99 standing, oh my God o”. This clearly exhibits the imbalanced state of the country while exclaiming in disbelief of the state of situations. The “49 sitting 99 standing” can be seen to echo Fela’s 1978 “Shuffering and Shmiling”, but creatively woven to better suit our present time. The satirical position is a new angle being explored by Savage on this new release, depicting being bold and strong through the use of satire in order not to come out too strong, but gently throwing “jibes” at the government. This is a disposition, not necessarily associated with her. The song sends the clear message of reflection. The scenery that captures Tiwa Savage dancing on the table while politicians droll and yearn over her epitomizes the abominable lust these government personnel’s have for young girls. This is simply trying to capture the socio-political situation of the country. Thus, it shows how politicians channel their time to frivolities rather than on how to move the country forward.

Tiwa Savage

Tiwa Savage

The lyrics might seem tawdry at first, but when it is placed side by side with the video, something deeper emerges in truth and meaning. Thus the video adds more value to the song as we also appreciate the persona we see coming from her under her new label.

Tiwa Savage in her new song has given us something true that is not off track but in sync with the society by infusing the beat of cool afrobeat tune with it, inducing us to keep nodding in delight. She goes on to use the song to encourage the female artists in the music industry. Tiwa Savage does this as a way of encouraging the feminist drive for female artists like her.

Like a mother who scolds and still shows love to a child, her song does the same by critiquing whilst encouraging; fostering an atmosphere of a classic parody that is here to stay.

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