Tems

Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and record producer born on June 11, 1995. She gained international recognition in 2020 after featuring on Wizkid’s hit song “Essence,” which later peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 following a remix with Justin Bieber. That same year, she also appeared on Drake’s song “Fountains” and released her debut EP, For Broken Ears.

Tems continued her rise with her second EP, If Orange Was a Place (2021), released under RCA Records. In 2022, her song “Higher” was sampled on Future’s “Wait for U,” which debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, making her one of the few Nigerian artists to achieve this milestone. The song earned her a Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance.

She further gained global acclaim by contributing to major projects, including covering Bob Marley’s “No Woman, No Cry” for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and co-writing Rihanna’s “Lift Me Up,” which received multiple award nominations. Her debut album Born in the Wild (2024) was widely praised, and she later earned another Grammy for “Love Me JeJe,” becoming the first Nigerian artist with multiple Grammy wins.

Born in Lagos, Tems spent part of her early life in the UK before returning to Nigeria after her parents’ divorce. She grew up in Ilupeju, Lekki, and Ajah, attended Dowen College, and studied economics at Monash South Africa. Despite being bullied for her voice in school, she developed her talent through choir and music training, eventually becoming one of Africa’s most celebrated global music stars.