In a candid interview with YouTuber Korty EO, the award-winning singer shared that she had always hoped for a daughter, and the news that her baby was male left her deeply emotional. She admitted that the gender revelation made it difficult for her to connect with her son during his early years.
“Honestly, I didn’t bond with my son for the first year or two. I always wanted a girl. They told me it was a boy, and I started crying,” Savage said.
The singer further explained that her struggle was compounded by the physical changes she experienced after childbirth. She recalled feeling devastated as her body did not “snap back” as expected, and she felt unattractive in the months following delivery.
“So, when he came he was always crying and my body didn’t snap back. I looked horrible,” she said. “I was supposed to do a campaign with Pepsi at the time and they turned me away. And I just thought this boy has destroyed me.”
From Distance to Deep Bond
Despite the rocky start, Tiwa Savage says her relationship with her son has since transformed. Reflecting on the past, she said she now feels grateful for him and describes him as her “best friend.”
“But now, he is my best friend,” she said, expressing how her feelings have changed over time.
Raising a Kind and Respectful Son
Savage also spoke about the values she hopes to instill in her son, particularly around treating women with respect. She revealed that her own experiences in difficult relationships have shaped her desire to raise her son to be a good man.
“I always tell him, you mum suffered oo, make sure you treat any girl like a queen,” she said. “It is very important for me to raise him as a good man. He is going to make mistakes, he is not perfect. But at the core of him, I want him to be kind.”
Tiwa Savage welcomed her son, Jamil Balogun, in July 2015 with her then-husband Tunji Balogun. He celebrated his 10th birthday in July 2025.