In Cape Coast, Ghana, lies a story of homecoming. Amazon Prime Video’s Water & Garri invites audiences into the world of Aisha, played by Nigerian-born artist Tiwa Savage, an audacious fashion designer whose journey home sparks an adventure of self-discovery.
After a decade-long journey in the United States, Aisha’s homecoming is not the joyous reunion she had anticipated. Instead, it is overshadowed by family tragedy, drawing her back to the land she once called home. But the passage of time has brought changes upon her hometown. Violence simmers beneath the surface, and tensions loom large, casting a shadow over the once-familiar dwelling.
As Aisha navigates the labyrinthine alleys of her past, she has to confront not only the external turmoil but also the inner demons she thought she had left behind. Reuniting with her family, old friends, and a long-lost love, she finds herself in a web of unresolved emotions and buried secrets. Each encounter unearths fragments of her fractured identity, forcing her to reckon with the scars—both seen and unseen—that she carries within. “Tiwa was incredible, she’s a powerhouse musician, but also just as a creative, seeing her step into the acting role seamlessly, it was beautiful,” says the film’s director, Meiji Alabi. “She’s an incredible actress, so she made my job a lot easier as a first-time director and being a first-time actor.”
Against the backdrop of Cape Coast’s bustling streets and picturesque vistas, Water & Garri unfolds with breathtaking cinematography, capturing the raw essence of a nation grappling with its own history. “You want to make people feel something. That’s what this film was about. It’s making you feel the feeling back home and just familiar feelings throughout your life,” Alabi continues.
Alongside Savage, a stellar ensemble cast including the likes of Mike Afolarin (Far From Home), Andrew Bunting (Dynamite), and Jemima Osunde (New Money) breathes life into a tapestry of characters as rich and diverse as the land they hail from.
Water & Garri made its debut on Amazon Prime Video May 10, and we caught up with Tiwa Savage to discuss the film, her heritage, and her new music.
GU: You’ve done a few acting roles in the past. How have those smaller roles prepared you for your big moment?
Tiwa: Well you know acting was actually my first love. That was my first introduction into entertainment when I was in high school. But I kind of hadd a crush on a guy who was always hanging around with the musicians. So I was like yeah, ditch acting, let me go into music. So it’s kind of a full circle moment for me to come back to it.
Let’s talk about the movie a bit. Being from Africa, what was it like filming this movie?
To me, it was really special because we shot it in Ghana, and we shot it in Cape Coast where it was like, there’s so much history there with the point of no return and I think it was very significant to do it there because the storyline is of Aisha coming back after living in her home where she grew up for 10 years. Itt wass very special for us, even being Nigerian, but shooting there was very special for everyone. It’s an African story but it has a global message.
African representation has gone beyond the sound of Afrobeats. What are your thoughts as Africa expands its representation all over the globe?
I love it. It was just a few years ago when I was in London and it was not cool to be African. I was bullied and teased and I used to try and hide and lie and say I was Jamaican. So seeing Africa getting its spotlight right now to me it’s just beautiful. And it’s another full circle moment because a lot of the music I feel like comes from Africa in terms of popular genres that we know today, if we look at the history of Negro spirituals which really came from the Africans who were taken as slaves. Then that turned into blues, jazz, gospel, R&B, hip-hop, and trap. So if you trace it all back, it all comes from Africa.
How have you and your character Aisha been able to balance making decisions for yourself, even though it comes with the sacrifice of leaving your comfort zone behind?
I think my son helps out a lot in that regard. When I’m at home, I’m not Tiwa Savage, I’m mom and so that keeps me really grounded, really humble. I think I have a good team around me that also keeps me grounded. Also knowing when I’m exhausted and I need some time out, my family, everyone kind of respects the job I do and they give me that freedom to be able to be myself.
What were three things that you had to have on set with you at all times?
A fan. It was super hot. I had to have my phone because I had to keep in touch with my son, and my script. I always had my scripts and I had a Sharpie and I was always highlighting or changing some lines and stuff.
There are a lot of young girls that want to get into acting in the entertainment space. What are a few tips you would give them as they grow into that business?
I know it might sound cliche but I mean, just never give up. You never know what’s around the corner. You shouldn’t let where you’re from limit you. The bigger the dream, the better, don’t be afraid to dream big. Don’t be afraid to take risks, especially when you’re still younger and you don’t have the responsibility of being married or having kids, or just general things that you would as you get older, that you’re more responsible for.
One of the themes for Girls United this year is that we’re entering our era of disruption. We’re encouraging our audience to break that glass ceiling to cancel out the noise and really just go for what it is they want and be authentically themselves. So I want to ask you, how do you think you’ve disrupted the entertainment space?
Just even moving back to Nigeria and just getting into that space when I first moved back, it was like my song was banned on radio and TV. I was considered too risque, too sexy. But I just kept going and the girls kept on loving me and then the radio had no choice but to start putting me on their shows because girls were demanding for me and even with this, with the movie. I know initially we had knocked on several doors and a few people said no. They didn’t get it, they didn’t see the vision and we just put our money where our mouth was and we funded it ourselves and then it got picked up by Prime Video, which is huge. So for me, it’s just inspiring that whatever I put my mind to, I can actually achieve it, and I want to be an inspiration to young girls that yes, there is a glass ceiling but it can be broken.
Speaking of music, we have to know, can we expect anything new from you coming soon?
Well the soundtrack to the movie is coming out in a few days. It’s coming out alongside the movie. But I have a huge project that I have coming out. I’m going back to my love of R&B and I’m fusing that with Afrobeat. I recorded the album in Nashville with live instrumentation, and yes, my first project with my new family at Empire and I’m so excited and it’s coming out this year.