Nigerian singer-songwriter Tems has risen from humble beginnings in Lagos to global stardom a journey marked by authenticity, resilience, and an unyielding belief in her craft.
Speaking recently about her rise to fame, the Grammy Award-winning artist emphasized that staying true to herself has always been her guiding principle.
“Authenticity is everything to me. That’s the one thing I cannot compromise on because that’s all I have who I really am,” she said.
A Global Star With Deep Local Roots
Tems born Temilade Openiyi captured global attention when she performed at the FIFA Club World Cup halftime show at New York’s MetLife Stadium in July 2025. For millions watching, it was either an introduction or a powerful reminder of her unmatched artistry and stage presence.
Her path to fame wasn’t easy. As a young, self-taught producer and songwriter in Lagos, she struggled to gain recognition in an industry often skeptical of women’s abilities.
“It was really hard to get people to take me seriously not just as a producer, but as a singer, period,” she recalls.
Those early challenges became the foundation of her success.
Breaking Records and Making History
Tems’ breakthrough came in 2020 with her collaboration with Wizkid on “Essence”, the first Nigerian song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100.
She made history again in 2022 when her song “Higher” was sampled on Future and Drake’s Grammy-winning “Wait for U,” which debuted at No. 1 a first for a Nigerian artist.
By 2025, Tems had won her own Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance for “Love Me JeJe,” a modern reimagining of a Nigerian classic.
Despite her global success, Tems says fame was never the goal:
“If being me lands me under the bridge, cool. If it lands me on top of the mountain, cool.”
Championing Women in Music
Tems has now turned her focus to empowering women in Africa’s music industry. In August, she launched the Leading Vibe Initiative, a mentorship and training platform for women aged 18–35 working in music production, management, and engineering.
The project, which began in Lagos, aims to amplify visibility for female talent in an industry often dominated by men with plans to expand to Kenya and other African countries.
“There are so many talented women that can be producers, managers, audio engineers but they’re not even visible,” she said.
“All they need is that platform and that chance.”
Her inspiration for the initiative stems from her own struggles navigating a male-dominated industry:
“People started taking me seriously when my music got to a place they couldn’t fathom. They were like, ‘How did she do that? We didn’t give this to her.’”
Beyond Fame: Building Legacy
For Tems, success is about comfort, purpose, and authenticity, not celebrity status.
“Fame is not what you want. You could be famous and uncomfortable. What you really want is to be comfortable and true to yourself,” she reflects.
As she continues to break boundaries and mentor the next generation of women in music, Tems’ legacy is already becoming clear her greatest achievement may not just be her music, but the movement she is building for others.
