Tiwa Savage has spoken about the role record labels play in protecting the mental health and emotional wellbeing of artists.
During a recent episode of the Afrobeats Intelligence podcast hosted by Joey Akan, the singer explained that she only realised the value of emotional support from a record label after leaving Mavin Records.
According to Tiwa Savage, while she was signed to Mavin Records, she could always rely on label boss Don Jazzy and other label mates whenever she was going through difficult moments or online controversies.
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.”
The singer noted that she no longer experiences the same level of closeness and emotional support at her current label.
She also advised upcoming artists to pay attention to whether a record label genuinely cares about their wellbeing or simply views them as profit-making machines.
Tiwa Savage joined Mavin Records in 2012 before leaving in 2019 to sign with Universal Music Group. Despite moving on, she has consistently described Mavin Records as family.