Nigerian music superstar Tiwa Savage has opened up about her long-standing feud with fellow singer Seyi Shay, shedding light on the viral salon confrontation that once dominated social media and the rumours that surrounded it.
Speaking on the Off Air with Gbemi O and Toolz podcast released on Saturday, the “Somebody’s Son” crooner revealed that her strained relationship with Seyi Shay originated from a diss track and persistent allegations that she had tried to block opportunities for other female artistes in the industry.
Tiwa firmly denied the claims, insisting she has always been supportive of women and would never attempt to hinder another artiste’s progress. “If you do something to me, I’ll tell you directly, not online. I’m not going to pretend we’re cool when you did a whole diss track about me,” she said.
The singer admitted she was hurt and confused when she first heard the rumours that she had “blocked bags” for Seyi Shay and Kenyan artiste Victoria Kimani, noting that the false claims painted her unfairly. “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.
She further challenged anyone who believed the rumours to name the source. “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,” she added.
To counter the narrative that she had sabotaged anyone, Tiwa recalled a personal experience where she herself lost a major endorsement deal to Seyi Shay while she was pregnant with her son, Jamil. “When I got pregnant and had Jamil, I was taken off a Pepsi campaign, Longer Throat, and Shay was booked on it. Go back and check — she was the brand ambassador, I wasn’t. I was taken off because I couldn’t snap back in time,” Tiwa explained, adding that she bore no grudge and instead focused on getting back in shape.
The now-infamous salon altercation between the two singers took place in 2021 and quickly became one of the most viral celebrity moments of the year. While Seyi Shay previously claimed she had tried to make peace, Tiwa’s recent remarks suggest that the tension between them was fuelled by industry gossip, misunderstandings, and unverified claims dating as far back as 2017, when Seyi reportedly threw shade at her in a viral challenge.
