''Sugarcane'' is the debut

extended play An extended play (EP) is a Sound recording and reproduction, musical recording that contains more tracks than a Single (music), single but fewer than an album. Contemporary EPs generally contain up to eight tracks and have a playing time of 1 ...

by Nigerian singer

Tiwa Savage Tiwatope Omolara Savage (born 5 February 1980), known professionally as Tiwa Savage (), is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and actress. Savage sings in English, Nigerian Pidgin and Yoruba; her music is a blend of afrobeats, R&B, afropop, p ...

. It was released on September 22, 2017, by

Mavin Records Mavin Records (also known as the Supreme Mavin Dynasty) is a Nigerian corporation and record label founded by record producer and recording artist Don Jazzy on 8 May 2012. The label's inception came to fruition following the closure of Mo' Hits R ...

and 323 Entertainment. The EP features collaborations with producers and guest artists such as

Wizkid Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun (born 16 July 1990), better known as Wizkid, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. Born in the Ojuelegba suburb of Surulere, Lagos, Wizkid is a voice in the emerging Afrobeats movement. His music is a blend of Afrobea ...

Spellz ''Spellz'' was a 2006–2008 magic series featuring famed magician Jay Sankey. Produced by GAPC Entertainment in partnership with TVO Kids TVOKids (stylized as tvokids) is the brand for most of the children's programming aired by TVO (formerly ...

, Baby Fresh,

Maleek Berry Okunola Abdul Maleek Anu-Oluwapo Shoyebi (born 11 August 1987), professionally known as Maleek Berry, is a British-Nigerian record producer and recording artist. After his break into the spotlight in 2012, Maleek Berry was nominated as "Music Pr ...

and P2J. It explores themes of love and was recorded in English and Yoruba. ''Sugarcane'' was supported by the singles "All Over" and "Ma Lo". It was nominated for Best Album of the Year at the 2018

Nigeria Entertainment Awards The Nigerian Entertainment Awards were established in New York City in January 2006. The awards recognize the contributions of African entertainers with a special focus on Nigerians. Ceremonies * 2006 Nigeria Entertainment Awards * 2007 Nigeria ...

Background and release

In an interview with ''

The Fader ''The Fader'' is a magazine established in 1999 as an outlet for Cornerstone Agency, a marketing and public relations firm established by Rob Stone and Jon Cohen. The magazine covers music, style and culture. History and work It is owned by T ...

'' magazine, Savage said she did not have any plans to release ''Sugarcane''. However, she decided to put out the project after recording so much music for her next album. Savage said she named the EP ''Sugarcane'' because the songs sounded sweet to her. The album explores themes relating to love, including the journey of wanting love, needing love, finding love, and giving love. The lead single, "All Over", was released on April 2, 2017. ''The Native''s Debola Abimbolu said the song is essentially about Savage's romantic feelings and likened its hook to

Kcee KCEE is a commercial radio station located in Tucson, Arizona, broadcasting on 690 AM. KCEE airs a Christian format and is owned by Calvary Chapel of Tucson, Inc. By day, KCEE is powered at 250 watts; as 690 AM is a clear channel frequency ...

's "Tonight". The music video for "All Over" was filmed in Miami by Patrick Elis. In it, Savage is seen wearing an Ankara print bikini. In October 2017, Savage told ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'' magazine that the video was recorded in four and a half hours. The

-assisted track "Ma Lo" was released on November 3, 2017, as the second single. Directed by Meji Alabi, the accompanying music video for "Ma Lo" was filmed at the

New Afrika Shrine The New Afrika Shrine is an open-air entertainment center located in Ikeja, Lagos State. It serves as the host location of the annual Felabration music festival. Currently managed by Femi Kuti (eldest son of Fela Kuti) and Yeni Anikulapo-Kuti, ...

. A 40-second teaser clip preceded its release. A Wizkid fan account shared behind-the-scenes clips of the video shoot on October 19, 2017. "Ma Lo" won Best Collabo at

The Headies 2018 The Headies 2018 was the 12th edition of The Headies. It was held on May 5, 2018, at the Eko Convention Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos. Nigerian comedian Bovi and singer Seyi Shay hosted the ceremony. After shortlisting thousands of entries su ...

. On December 28, 2017, Savage released a colorful music video for the title track "Sugarcane", which was also directed by Meji Alabi. In the video, Savage dances against a colorful backdrop. The music video for "Get It Now" was released on February 22, 2018; it depicts a romance between the singer and a gym trainer. In March 2018, Savage released the

Omarion Omari Ishmael Grandberry (born November 12, 1984), better known by his stage name Omarion, is an American R&B singer, dancer and actor. He rose to prominence as lead vocalist of the boy band B2K, which was formed in 1998 and managed by record e ...

-assisted remix of "Get It Now". The song's music video was directed by Meji Alabi and released in April 2018. It was filmed in a

fast food restaurant A fast-food restaurant, also known as a quick-service restaurant (QSR) within the industry, is a specific type of restaurant that serves fast food, fast-food cuisine and has minimal Foodservice#Table service, table service. The food served ...

and shows Savage and Omarion exchanging suggestive looks in the presence of their significant other.

Composition

''Sugarcane'' is a mixture of

Afropop African popular music (also styled Afropop, Afro-pop, Afro pop or African pop) can be defined as any African music, regardless of genre, that uses Western pop musical instruments, such as the guitar, piano, trumpet, etc.Olabode, O. (2023, J ...

funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African-American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African-Americans in the ...

house A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air c ...

pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop! (British group), a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Album ...

, R&B and trap. The title track, "Sugarcane", is a tribute to a man with whom she has an admiration for. Wilfred Okiche described the song as "fun, fast and filthy". "All Over" depicts a sexually submissive woman; the song is composed of watered-down lyrics and evokes the need to dance. The

highlife Highlife is a Ghanaian music genre that originated along the coastal cities of present-day Ghana in the 19th century, during its Gold Coast (region), history as a colony of the British and through its trade routes in coastal areas. It encompasse ...

-inspired track "Ma Lo" is a torrid romance track. "Get it Now" has an African-infused homogenous sound. The

Bubblegum pop Bubblegum (also called bubblegum pop) is pop music in a catchy and upbeat style that is marketed for children and adolescents. The term also refers to a more specific rock and pop subgenre, originating in the United States in the late 1960s, th ...

track "Me and You" features

dembow The dembow beat or dembow riddim is a musical rhythm best known for its use as the core percussion element in reggaeton music, having taken its name from the 1990 dancehall song " Dem Bow" by Shabba Ranks. The rhythm, first developed by Jamaican ...

rhythm and draws comparisons to Beyonce's " XO". The P2J-produced track "Hold Me Down" contains a

Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, is primarily produced in Mumbai. The popular term Bollywood is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (former name of Mumbai) and "Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". The in ...

-inspired riff.

Critical reception

''Sugarcane'' received generally positive reviews from

music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on ...

. Jim Donnett of

TooXclusive tooXclusive is a Nigerian music and review website. Launched in 2010 by Olutayo "Tyler" Duncan Sotubo. This website is notable for organizing its yearly tooXclusive Online Music Awards. They pride their establishment as the number one source f ...

praised Savage's songwriting ability and said the EP embodies "traits of rawness and sincerity". A ''Pulse Nigeria'' contributor, who goes by Jonathan, called ''Sugarcane'' "less a collection of songs and more a documentation of feelings". Reviewing for 360 Nobs, Wilfred Okiche said Savage "appears to have found her voice and niche" on ''Sugarcane''. Oris Aigbokhaevbolo of Music in Africa described the EP as "an efficient package selling all that has put Tiwa Savage on top of the female pop pile: sex appeal, controlled R&B vocal styling and an ease with certain kinds of production." In a review for

OkayAfrica OkayAfrica (stylized as okayafrica) is a digital media platform dedicated to African culture, music and politics. Founded in 2011 by Vanessa Wruble and Ginny Suss as a sister site to The Roots frontman Questlove's Okayplayer, the site has become ...

, Sabo Kpade commended Savage's songwriting efforts and said the EP has great replay value. ''

The Native ''The Native'' (stylized in all caps) is a Nigerian-based music magazine publishing in Lagos. Founded in 2016, ''The Native'' focuses primarily on music, style, and art, championing the sounds and culture of tomorrow, today. History ''The Na ...

''s Edwin Okolo praised Savage for embracing Afropop and said the genre "is the undercurrent that runs through the entire EP".

Accolades

Track listing

Notes *"Me and You" contains background vocals by

Personnel

*Tiwatope Savage – primary artist, writer *Ayodeji Balogun – featured artist, writer *Ben’Jamin Obadje – featured artist, production *Peter Jay – production *Maleek Shoyebi – production *Sunday "Baby Fresh" Enejere – production

Release history

References

{{Mavin Records 2017 debut EPs Tiwa Savage albums Albums produced by Maleek Berry Albums produced by Spellz Yoruba-language albums Mavin Records EPs Albums produced by P2J Albums produced by Baby Fresh