Joint project issues between afrobeat queens Yemi Arad and Tiwa Savage has been a recurring dream among fans and headlines in the media for years. Both artists are prominent figures in the African music industry, so this collaboration is nothing short of an event for the continent.
However, Yemi Alade once again spoke about the possibility and confirmed that fans should no Hold your breath—her reasons are surprisingly honest and revealing of the pressures of the industry.
🎙️The Unfiltered Truth: “I’d rather stay sober”
In a recent interview, Yemi Alade was asked directly about her long-awaited collaboration with her colleague Tiwa Savage. While emphasizing her belief that “women support women” and citing her history of working with other female artists such as Waje, Omawumi and Ghana’s MzVee, her response to the Tiwa collaboration was clear:
“I know the fans’ favorite collaborations are the ones you mentioned. I’d rather stay sober, I don’t want problems in my life. I don’t want problems.”
This candid statement is a direct reflection of the intense, often artificial rivalry that the media and fan base have created between the two stars over the years.
⚔️The real reason: artificial competition
Yemi Alade explained that her decision had nothing to do with personal vendetta and everything to do with choosing peace over unnecessary drama. The root of the problem, she believes, lies in the ecosystem around them:
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Media and fans war: The singer emphasized that “fans and media just tend to stir the water where it should be still.”
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The battle for supremacy: Historically, any joint effort between the two would immediately be framed as a battle – a battle for the crown of ‘Afrobeat Queen’ – rather than a celebration of talent. Allard noted that collaboration can be “overwhelmed by the negativity and all the fighting.”
In essence, Yemi Alade chooses to protect her mental space and artwork from being hijacked by overly competing narratives. She believes that making records together for the sake of happiness will ultimately only feed negative energy and comparisons.
✨ Review: There could have been a truce
The rivalry has been long-standing, with the two artists sometimes subtly smearing each other on social media. However, a beautiful moment of unity occurred when December 2019 When Tiwa Savage brings Yemi Alade as her surprise guest “Everything Savage Concert.” They embraced each other sincerely on stage, performed together, and pledged that their shared moment was “for the culture.”
While this move was a strong show of respect, Arad’s current statement confirms that while the personal “beef” may have gone away, the surrounding censorship environment is still too toxic to risk a full-fledged music project.
For now, the afrobeat scene will continue to enjoy two queens reigning supreme in their respective fields – a clear sign that sometimes, in the interest of preserving the music, it’s wiser to “just exist”.
