Tiwa Savage, Wizkid: Music stars are the celebrity power couple we need

We can't confirm if the two are dating, but if they are, it would be almost perfect.

If music is the language of love, then whatever is happening between Tiwa Savage and Wizkid started with them talking to each in sentences in the form of Afropop songs produced by Spellz and colourful music videos of the variety that paints two singers as a seamless duo.

Over the last few weeks, since their body language during a joint performance at GidiFest in April turned a few heads, rumours of the two dating have developed from mere whispers into a full-blown conspiracy theory.

The artists themselves have not exactly done anything to calm the reports.

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The timeline of references to the rumoured relationship starts with our puzzled reactions when Wizkid posted multiple photos of Mummy Jam Jam on Instagram on the latter's birthday.

Then GidiFest happened.

 

Since then, D-Prince, Tiwa Savage's label mate at Mavin Records has described them as "Mr and Mrs" in an Instagram comment.

Last week, when Wizkid responded to a Davido tweet, writing "I am looking for a sister". David wrote " Tiwa our sister".

All that's left now is Youtube ads confirming the relationship.

It's pretty obvious that the popularity enjoyed by both artists, coupled with their well-documented individual histories with the opposite sex and in Tiwa's case, marriage, have made this a more alluring conversation that it would have been otherwise.

The chances of a Tiwa and Wiz union also present an exciting prospect for fans who are loyal to the government of Starboy and nurse teenage fantasies of Tiwa.

They seem like a pairing we'd want to root for except, for all the good music that they have made together and their influence, Wizkid and Tiwa are not the power couple we want.

Starboys and Older Women

The first reason is the most obvious.

 

Reports claim that Tiwa Savage was born in 1980, a decade before 27-year-old Wizkid, who was born in July 1990.

The two icons are representative of a generation that has been described as progressive, but for the most part, ours is a deeply religious and conservative society.

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Our daddies and mummies may not mind Wizkid's tattoos or Tiwa's random displays of raunchy melanin-driven pizzazz, but a relationship between a young heartthrob and Tiwa Savage, who is technically still married, will be a hard meal to digest for a fair percentage of their fans.

After an intial rough split in 2016, followed by efforts at reconciliation, Tiwa Savage is reportedly on her way out of a marriage that was dominated by reports of drug use, allegations of infidelity and a lot of public finger-pointing.

As an artiste who has serially portrayed herself as the alpha female, news of the impending divorce was not entirely shocking.

On the other hand, Wizkid is the poster child for young wealth and youthful exuberance. At 26, his three kids from different mothers, including his manager, is a testament to how much restraint he exerts when he wishes.

 

Getting seriously involved with Wizkid does not do many favours for Tiwa Savage's image.

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Without the burden of romantic involvement, Wizkid's reckless persona complements her more mature, experienced yet sultry image; which explains why it was easy to digest them as peers. As lovers, they would be in dire contrast to each other.

There's also the small fact that in situations like this, the perception of both parties tends to rub off each other. What this means is we could see a more sober Wizkid or a street-wear sporting, free-spirited Tiwa.

While Wizkid has all the time to make a behavioural transition that would fit his trajectory, Tiwa doesn't have as much yarn to spin.

Ultimately the question of whether the two are the couple we need is another matter entirely.

Greater than the sum of its parts

As much as the age difference will not win them much goodwill from the public, Tiwa and Wiz will force most Nigerians to confront the questions that have defined such relationships as social taboos and hopefully raise important conversations on the topic.

 

On the other hand, it brings the promise of fire music. The two have collaborated twice, on "BAD" off Tiwa Savage's R.E.D album and "Ma Lo" off her Sugarcane EP.

On both occasions, they have made national hits. With the possibility of more time spent, who's to say the two can't take it up a notch and give us a project worthy of the union.

That Wiz and Tiwa could be one of the biggest power couples in entertainment is not debatavle; together, they have the capacity to transcend the level of pop stardom that they already occupy and that may be just what they need at this point in their careers

Together, their influence may be strong enough to withstand the cultural constructs that may make their relationship awkward, and when the novelty wears off, we'll all just un-look and let the carry on with their lives.

Tiwa and Wiz seem set to be the pairing that defines the personal side of this era in Nigerian music and if things go as most people suspect they are, it will be the perfect case of a union that is greater than the sum of its parts.