Delectable crooner, Tiwa Savage has cleared air on her adopting a child. She also in this interview explained what pushed her into music in the first place.

The Nigeria female No.1 artiste has been soaring higher and higher since she debuted on the scene. Read what she says during this session with AZUH ARINZE.

What makes a good musician?

I think somebody that sings from the heart, from the soul; somebody that dedicates a lot of time to his or her craft and somebody that is not just doing it for money. Somebody that wants to do a song that can change lives and touch lives and make them dance, make them smile, make them cry, make them laugh.

Why do most musicians fail?

Honestly, I wish I had the formula for that. I don’t know. I can only speak for those who are successful and I think God is definitely behind them. God has his hand in your work and for me, I think you have to work hard; you can never get relaxed when you think you are up there.

That’s actually when you need to work harder because you have a lot of upcoming artists that are working ten times as hard. So, for me, I think in order for you to sustain and be relevant, you have to keep reinventing yourself and be current with the music.

Some people attain success but find it difficult to sustain it. What do you think is responsible for this?

I think the first thing is that people don’t invest wisely. We tend to buy a lot of materialistic stuff like cars; things that depreciate. But you have to invest in lands, you have to invest in companies, you have to invest in shares and you also have to prepare for the future.

With careers in our industry, there’s a life span. And you have to make sure that during that time, you maximize it to the fullest. If you footballer, you know you can’t play football forever; if you are a model, you can’t model forever and if you are singing, you can’t sing forever. So, the time you have, you have to maximize that.

What do you like most about being a musician?

I love the fact that I can meet total strangers and they say you got me so excited; I was just listening to your song or I just listened to your song, and I’m able to inspire young girls especially. That always touches my heart.

What don’t you like about being a musician?

I don’t like the fact that your private life is not private anymore. Anything that you do is under the microscope and you are judged ten times more than somebody who is not a musician.

Most people say Tiwa is sexy, is it such a difficult task maintaining it or does it just come to you effortlessly?

I wasn’t trying actually to be sexy; I think it’s just something that people tagged me. But I do work out a lot and I do eat healthily. I eat a lot of salad., and fruits; I work out with my trainer three, four times a week. I work out a lot, but it’s not easy.

What’s the most difficult thing about stardom?

The most difficult thing is knowing that you don’t live for yourself anymore, you live for the people and that can be hard sometimes because you tend to touch yourself all the time. You are always like: can I do this? You are always questioning yourself. But I’ve just learnt to be myself and know that if that has gotten me this far, and me having God on my side, then I will go farther.

What got you interested in music?

Actually, it was a boy. I had a crush on a boy when I was in school and he used to hang out with all the musicians, so I told my teacher I wanna sing and he said okay, sing something and when I did he said you actually have a pretty voice. And when I started singing, the guy still did not pay me any attention. But I discovered my talent through that.

If you had not taken to music, what else would you have been doing?

I can’t think of anything else that I would be doing if it wasn’t for music. To be honest with you, I’ve never thought about it. I think this is what I was born to do.

What is the greatest thing that music has done for you?

I’ve been able to sustain myself financially. This is a hobby, a passion. How many people can say that their passion is what earns them money? The Bible says your work will make a way for you, it will provide for you and I’m blessed to be able to do that; to be able to support myself and my family. That’s amazing.

Tell us about your new album…

It’s great! It’s called Once Upon A Time. It’s a story, the story of my life and it’s basically a collection of songs that speak from my heart and that’s why it’s called Once Upon A Time.

There are over a dozen tracks in there, which one is your favourite?

All of them. I don’t know which one; I’m gonna leave it to everybody else to choose their favourite. But everything! It’s like asking a mother which one is her favourite child? You can’t have one. They are all my favourite.

Away from work, what does Tiwa do for relaxation?

I sleep and I eat and I spend time with my family. Unfortunately, because of what I do now, I don’t spend that much time with my brothers, my parents, my nieces and nephews, so any small time I have, love to spend with them because they remind me, they treat me as Tope; they don’t treat me as Tiwa and that’s great because it grounds me and it makes me know that there are people who genuinely love me, with or without music.

Who has had the greatest impact on your life?

I would have to say God, definitely. And after God, my family. As I said, they love me unconditionally, even when I may make a mistake or something comes out in the press, they know who I really am.

What’s the worst thing you’ve read about yourself in the press?

So many things! But I think the worst that I’ve heard was that I was adopted! So, I called up my mum and I said mum, what … But that’s absolutely not true and that’s probably the most fabricated one of all of them.