London-based Tiwa King is not just a very talented singer but a TedX Speaker, accomplished writer, and well-being consultant. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Tiwa and can sincerely say she radiates positive energy, whilst carrying a naturally nurturing aura with a level of confidence. I have much pleasure in sharing this interview and hope it provides readers with a positive lift of encouragement, confidence, and belief that we are all capable of achieving our personal life goals.
Tiwa, thanks for taking the time to speak to us about your work. You’re a singer, TedX Speaker, writer, mentor, and wellbeing consultant. How and when did you decide to fuse these skillsets into a rather unique career?
It’s honestly a pleasure to be here – thanks for having me. Firstly, let me say how much I love this question. It has taken me years to accept what I do and how I do it, so I always look forward to sharing that part of my journey and encouraging others that they can do the same when it comes to their careers. I remember being at University, studying Accounting. Whilst studying I headed a choir called ‘Gospel Rhythms’ and I remember being consumed by it, so much more than the actual degree! I have always sung but as I watched the choir grow from just a choir to a family of young adults navigating life’s hurdles together and from me being a choir director to a mentor, I knew that I was a part of something so much bigger than singing. As we evolved, so did my vision for the choir and we ended up writing musicals, incorporating powerful messages through speech into our performances, and never just singing. During one performance (UGCY competition), I remember being so overwhelmed by what I felt inside and the reaction of the audience – it was at that moment that I knew that I was called to help people and music didn’t have to be the only way I did that. Thanks to working in the corporate world, I found the language to fit what I do into that space – that’s where Wellbeing comes in. So now I like to use the analogy of a tree for anyone with multiple talents. The bark of the tree is the core of what you do – for me that is helping others (particularly women) embrace authenticity and enhance wellbeing in a soulful way. The way I choose to enhance wellbeing are the branches. That could be through music, speaking, etc. The core always stays the same but the branches grow and change.
Who has been the most influential in your career and why?
This is a hard one. It’s impossible to name one person because I have been blessed enough to have key people show up in key seasons. A key moment that I didn’t know would be detrimental to my career was GCSE results day. After thinking I did not do as well as I should have (even though I got 11 A*-C’s), I showed my dad my results. I could see the disappointment but he lowered his head and looked at me through his glasses and said “Tiwalade, you know you’re a star”. That love and belief in me, in what I thought was failure, has gone on to power me through my career. I guess it made me more determined to “shine” my light and keep pushing even when it’s hard. Another key person is Oprah Winfrey. Although she doesn’t sing, watching a black woman act, produce, write, host, and keep creating all these soul-centered businesses. When I think about the analogy of the tree, I think of her. She has said her main mission is to connect with people’s hearts and she chooses to do that in so many ways. I want that too and because of her, I know it’s possible. I also have very special relationships that have helped shape my career.
You’re passionate about encouraging people to succeed and overcome, particularly through difficult situations. Can you explain how and where this passion originally came from?
Like everyone else, there was a part of my life that was particularly difficult. Walking became therapeutic for me and I ended up spending a lot of time connecting with and serving the homeless o those walks. During that time, I realized that trials are universal and I could either sink or swim. I swam. That time ended up being the making of me and really clarifying how I wanted to impact people. If my pain helped me realize my purpose, then I knew it could be the same for everyone else and they just needed my help realizing that too. This underpins all I do.
You are the Director of Authenticitea LTD. Please tell us more about your company and what you do?
I do so many things and Authenticitea is the home of all those things. The name actually came from my blog where I ‘ spill the tea on authentic living”. Authenticitea is a personal development platform. It aims to enhance holistic wellbeing. For Corporates, we aim to enhance employee wellbeing and help organizations boost productivity. We create programs and deliver fresh and dynamic sessions (infused with music). For educational institutes – we deliver masterclasses and motivating sessions(infused with music) for educational success and beyond. In the community – we facilitate user-led wellbeing programs and create events for women and those most vulnerable in our communities. These activities aid the healing journey and equip people with skills to go on and create their best lives after trauma. We also produce and host ‘The Tiwa King Show’ – themed live events that fuse conversations and songs.
It is welcoming to see you use your artistry to educate, mentor, and instill confidence in others. Do you think the arts, particularly music, can be utilized further in schools to support learning?
Yes, I do. There is proven research that shows music enhances cognitive function, improves memory, and aids learning on a long-term basis. In fact, a study showed that schools that have music programs have an attendance rate of 93.3% compared to 84.9% in schools without music programs. I could go on and on about the extensive benefits of using music to support learning. As a mother and an auntie, myself, I know many things are fighting for our children’s attention. Music is a powerful way of keeping the children’s attention, ensuring they are still learning, retaining information, and most of all – enjoying it all.
As a singer-songwriter, has there been any significant moment that has shaped your appreciation and approach to working in the industry?
Well, the ‘moment’ was a period of time. I was once a part of a band and we worked on a large project working closely with ‘industry giants’ for a number of years. We were also fortunate enough to be mentored by industry professionals. Most of my days comprised of a full-time job till 6 pm and then rehearsals till 11 pm. It was hardcore but those years taught me everything I know now. The music and TV industry can be ruthless so although I work hard, I also schedule a time to rest and nurture my relationships as that affect my artistry. I also learned the importance of knowing who you are as an artist, if you don’t, everything will attempt to define you and you can end up being really talented but feeling lost and sharing art that isn’t authentic. I have a huge amount of respect for all types of artists. It’s not a career for the faint-hearted.
What projects are you working on?
This year I’m really going to focus on my social impact. I’ve been really blessed to be awarded funding by Westfield East Bank Creative Futures Fund, supported by Westfield Stratford City and Foundation for Future London and I will be starting a program called the ‘The Healing Tour’ where I use creative arts to aid the healing journey of women affected by trauma. I’m really excited about this. I’m currently finalising my audiobook -an audio version of the e-book I released last year and I’ll also be having quite a few live shows and speaking engagements.
Where can our readers find out more about you?
I love connecting with new people so please feel free to DM, email or tweet me.
- www.tiwaking.com
- Instagram – @tiwaking
- Twitter- @tiwa_king
- Linkedin – Tiwa King
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