Recorded 2013 Length 03:30 Language English | Genre Afropop, reggae Label Mavin Records | |
Writer(s) Tiwa Savage and Tiffany Fred | ||
"Wanted" is a song by Nigerian singer Tiwa Savage from her debut studio album, Once Upon a Time (2013). The song samples the memorable line out in the streets/they call it murder from Damien Marley's "Welcome to Jamrock", and was produced by American producer Warren "Oak" Felder. The release of the music video for "Wanted" sparked divisive reactions among music critics and consumers.
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Background
The music video for the song "Wanted" was shot and directed in the U.K by Moe Musa. It was released on May 27, 2014 and ran for 3 minutes and 31 seconds. At the beginning of the video, Tiwa Savage is seen mimicking the sexual act of fingering. The singer can also be seen in a nude body suit that covers only the sensitive parts of her anatomy. Throughout the video, Tiwa Savage writhed sensually and performed erotically charged dance moves. In an interview with The Times, Tiwa Savage stated that she released the video at a stage in her life at which she was comfortable with her body. She also said that by releasing the video, she wanted to explore her life as a woman and target the adult market.
Cultural reception
Cultural reception to the music video was met with mixed reviews. Critics who opposed the video argued that Nigerian artists shouldn't emulate sexual images often seen in western media at the expense of tarnishing the morality of the Nigerian culture. On the other end of the spectrum, those in support of the video praised its sexual nature and stance on sexual empowerment. Social critic Charles Novia bluntly described the video as “stupid art”, while public figures such as Uti Nwachukwu, Gbemi Olateru-Olagbegi, Dr SID and Toolz described the video as brilliant.
Critical reception
A writer for The Sun said that the video lacks originality and climax. The writer concluded by saying, "Tiwa’s video does not fail because it is raunchy, because she is a married woman in- sistent on living out her fantasies or because of the questionable fashion tastes. It fails because after all the glossy hype, the video is utterly unoriginal, desperately copycat-ish and incredibly boring."
Live performances
In June 2014, Tiwa Savage performed "Wanted" at the Road To MAMAs concert alongside her label mates Dr SID, Di'Ja, Korede Bello and Reekado Banks. In September 2014, the singer also performed the song at the 2014 edition of Africa Unplugged alongside Davido and Diamond Platnumz.
Accolades
"Wanted" earned Tiwa Savage a nomination for Best Vocal Performance (Female) at The Headies 2014.