Celebrated music star Tiwa Savage has opened up about the impact record labels can have on the mental health and wellbeing of artists.
Speaking during a recent episode of the Afrobeats Intelligence podcast hosted by Joey Akan, the singer explained that she only fully understood the emotional support a good label provides after leaving Mavin Records.
According to Tiwa Savage, while she was signed to Mavin, she often had access to support from label boss Don Jazzy and her fellow label mates whenever she faced challenges.
She said …
“Who you signed to is very important and I didn’t appreciate it until after I left Mavin. Whenever there’s a controversy online I’d run to Don Jazzy’s room, sit on the floor or bed with other Mavin acts and we would talk about it. I would cry if I had to cry and we would get through it.
“But being with a [foreign] label, they don’t really care about your personal stuff. So, I can’t really go to the Empire office and cry. I miss that part it.”
However, she said she no longer enjoys that same level of closeness and support at her current label.
The singer stressed that upcoming artists should carefully consider whether a record label genuinely cares about their wellbeing or only sees them as profit-making machines.
Tiwa Savage joined Mavin Records in 2012 before leaving the label in 2019 to sign with Universal Music Group. Despite her exit, she has repeatedly maintained that Mavin remains “family” to her.