“So don’t treat me like a puppet on a string / ‘Cause I know how to do my thing,” sings Bob Marley in his iconic 1977 song “Waiting In Vain.” Now, those lyrics have also been sung by Nigerian superstar Tiwa Savage on her cover of the song for the upcoming Africa Unite album, which features reimagined versions of famous Bob Marley & The Wailers songs from African artists.
“Waiting In Vain” was originally featured on the Wailers’ album Exodus, now hailed as Album of the Century by Time Magazine. Produced by Mystro, Savage’s rendition of the classic stayed true to the original while bringing her signature R&B vocal style and Afrobeats production to the track. Blending the styles of some of Africa’s biggest artists with the timeless style of the Wailers’ hits is the goal of the “Africa Unite” album, out August 5th. The album will feature artists including Savage, Rema, Oxlade, Ayra Starr & more.
Tiwa Savage is one of Nigeria’s biggest artists, with over a billion streams across the globe. Known to many as the “Queen of Afrobeats,” Savage is a singer, songwriter, actress, director, host, and activist. Born in Lagos, Savage’s family relocated to London when she was 11, and she began her musical career at 16 as a backup singer.
She competed on the U.K. edition of The X Factor and graduated from Boston’s Berklee College of Music before she chose to return to Nigeria to join her home country’s growing music scene. Her 2013 debut, Once Upon a Time, earned a nomination for Album of the Year at the Nigerian Entertainment Awards, and her star only grew exponentially from there. In 2019, she announced her signing with Universal Music Group before her third album Celia was released in 2020.
Just recently, Savage performed on the world stage at the coronation of King Charles III. She sang the aptly-titled “Keys to the Kingdom,” which featured on Beyoncé’s soundtrack for The Lion King.
Buy or stream “Waiting In Vain.”
