Tiwa Savage Questions Exclusion of Tems from Afrobeats ‘Big 3’
Nigerian music star Tiwa Savage has questioned the exclusion of female artistes, particularly Tems, from the popular Afrobeats ‘Big 3’ ranking.
The term ‘Big 3’ is commonly used to describe Davido, Burna Boy, and Wizkid, who are regarded as Nigeria’s most dominant global exports in the Afrobeats scene. However, Tiwa argued that the label overlooks the outstanding achievements of women who have equally made a significant impact on the genre.
Speaking in an interview with BBC Radio 1Xtra, she criticised the criteria behind the ranking and insisted that Tems deserves recognition among the top tier of Afrobeats artists. Tems rose to prominence in 2020 following her collaboration with Wizkid on Essence. She went on to win her first Grammy Award in 2023 for her contribution to Wait For U and secured a second Grammy in 2025 in the Best African Performance category.
Tiwa’s comments have reignited conversations around gender representation in Afrobeats and the need to broaden the industry narrative beyond the male-dominated ‘Big 3’ discourse.
