Since her last full project, Celia, Tiwa Savage has been away from the studio for five years. With This One Is Personal, released on August 29, 2025, she returns not just with music, but with open arms, raw emotions, and stories she’s lived.
A Deep, Emotional Reset
What makes this album stand out is how honest it is. Tiwa Savage gives the listener a front-row seat into her journey: heartbreak, reflection, resilience. From the moment “I’m Done” opens, backed by simple piano chords and her unguarded voice, it’s clear this isn’t just music, it’s therapy.
She doesn’t hide. In songs like “Angel Dust”, she explores love that pulls you in even when you know it’s not good. With “Twisted”, she admits to becoming hard, almost as a response to pain. Tiwa’s vulnerability isn’t weakness; it’s what gives the album its power.
Highlights & Sound Moments
- “You4Me” – A smooth blend of 90s R&B vibes with Afrobeats flair. The sample of Tamia’s “So Into You” brings nostalgia, while Tiwa’s voice adds fresh longing. It feels like remembering something you loved and still miss.
- “On The Low” (feat. Skepta) – A cleverly quiet storm. The idea of a hidden or secret relationship is turned into art. Skepta’s verse adds another layer, cool, restrained, yet emotionally charged.
- “Scared of Love” – For many, love hurts; here, Tiwa paints that fear. When you need love, but you’re unsure if your heart can survive it. This track feels both soft and sharp.
Strength in Simplicity
What’s lovely about This One Is Personal is how Tiwa harnesses simplicity. Fewer features (just three guests: Skepta, Taves, and James Fauntleroy), minimal distractions. Everything is calibrated so her voice and lyrics take center stage.
Most of the songs lean into slower tempos, rich vocal melodies, and emotional weight. The instrumentation often steps back, allowing her message to shine through. Occasionally, an upbeat or sensual moment appears (“10%,” for example) to show she still knows how to let loose.
What It Means
This One Is Personal feels like a full-circle moment. For fans, it’s Tiwa Savage dropping the gloss and letting us in. For Tiwa, it seems like reclaiming her story, reminding the world she’s both the queen and the human. Love’s scars, faith, motherhood, the public eye and they’re all in here.
She doesn’t promise perfection. She promises honesty. And for many, that will be enough.
Final Verdict
If you come to this album expecting party bangers or club hits, you’ll find a few. But This One Is Personal is strongest when you lean into the piano, to the hushed moments, to the spaces between beats. It’s Tiwa’s most intimate work yet.
This is the kind of album that holds up best late at night, when you need to feel more than dance. Strong, soulful, honest. Emotion in its raw form. This One Is Personal is a return with respect, not just for her craft, but for anyone who ever loved, lost, and needed music to talk them back to themselves.
Bottom line? Tiwa Savage just reminded us why she’s the Queen. And honestly, we’re not mad at it.
