Nigerian female singer Tiwa Savage sparked controversy after releasing a raunchy music video for her new track 'Wanted'.
The Eminado hitmaker turns up the heat in the music video, by London-based director Moe Musa, and can be seen twerking and dancing seductively while caressing her body.
The 34 year-old married star has been called all sorts of names after she released the video.
But when she wasnamed female artiste of the year at Saturday’s MTV Africa Music Awards, in South Africa, she made a point of bringing out the one person who has supported her even when the video for Wanted (and Love Me, Love Me) attracted the disapproval of TV broadcasters and parents – her husband, Tunji Balogun.
Speaking to The Times about the backlash against her and why she decided to go semi-nude, she said: “[Being s3xual] is something we’re comfortable with behind closed doors but very uncomfortable with in public. But, fortunately, as artistes we have the platform to do things that a lot of people might not be able to do. I felt like I was at a stage in my life at which I was very comfortable in my skin."
"I’d worked on my body and I wanted to do a video that was pushing the envelope – that would have people talking and open up a conversation."
Savage stated her video was clearly rated for people over 18.
"I feel that while being a role model I also need to explore my life as a woman and target the adult market."
"There are a lot of people who love the video and are inspired. You learn you can’t please everybody, so you do what feels right at the time."
She stated she wasn’t surprised that some broadcasters had censored the video.
"A lot of times you look at an artiste and you think what they do on stage is their lifestyle, but just because we portray a certain thing on stage doesn’t mean when we get off the stage we sleep with every guy we see," she stated.
"It’s just a persona. I don’t think anyone can look at my life and see any scandal."
"That’s what parents should be teaching their children. Whether Tiwa Savage does it or not, they will have access to certain things that are bad, so we need to teach them how to decide between good and bad."
Savage was recently the subject of an open letter by a Nigerian housewife, who advised her "not to give in to the pressure of the 's3x sells' attitude in the music industry", and not to "add to the factors contributing to societal decadence", adding that she "didn’t want to say this, but a husband who truly loves you is supposed to protect his wares and not make you do whatever to stay in the public eye".