Tiwa Savage Discusses Her Acting Debut with Water and Garri movie

Afrobeat star Tiwa Savage has made her acting debut in the Nigerian movie drama “Water and Garri.”

The singer, known for her collaborations with artists like Sam Smith, Chris Martin from Coldplay, and Nas, plays the character Aisha in this Prime Video production.

“It’s a story about love and betrayal,” Savage explains. “Aisha leaves her hometown to chase her dreams of becoming a fashion designer. But when she returns, she finds that many things have changed, and that’s where the drama begins.”

In addition to acting, Savage also took on the roles of executive producer and the writer and producer of the film’s soundtrack.

The movie initially started as a visual project to accompany music Savage had written two years ago. However, as filming progressed, she felt the old music no longer fit the project.

“When we started filming, I realized I didn’t like any of the music I had already made. Music captures a moment in time, and two years later, it just didn’t work anymore,” she explains. “So, I decided to scrap everything and take a week to create a whole new soundtrack. Now that I was more connected to the movie, I felt I could create something stronger.”

Savage spent about nine to ten days in Malibu, working on new music. “Everyone thought I was crazy, but I came back with 11 new songs,” she says with a smile.

Even though both Savage and the movie’s debut director, Meji Alabi, were new to this kind of project, she’s pleased with how it turned out. “It turned out good—really good,” Savage says. “Since it was our first time doing this, we were very supportive of each other, helping each other along the way.”

“Water and Garri” is part of Prime Video’s initiative to showcase authentic African films and series to a broader audience.

“It’s incredible to have my first film picked up by such a major platform,” says Savage. “It makes me feel like I can do anything.”