Temilade Openiyi, known in the Nigerian music artistry as Tems, adorably called Tems Baby, is a stunning Nigerian female vocalist, record producer as well as a songwriter ferrying her music to the world in the musical genres R&B, Soul, Afrobeats with a blend of Hip hop.
Tems, is a talented vocalist with a solid ground of lyrical ingenuity as well as the record producing skill, thus, earning her the title of a record producer.
Early Life and Musical Beginning
Born on 11 June 1995, in Lagos, Nigeria, her family relocated to relocated to the UK, however her parents separated keading to her return to Nigeria with her mum. She initially resided in Ilupeju before moving to Lekki and later Ajjah. For her secondary education she attended Dowen College and proceeded to Monash College in South Africa. She was noticed by her music teacher and learnt how to play musical instruments during musical class snf the use of her brother’s guitar.
Musical Career
Growing up she was disallowed by her mom to listen to secular music. She listened to only gospel music but her taste in music changed as she approached her teenage years. She loved to listen musical stars such as Destiny’s Child, Beyoncé, Lil Wayne, and Aaliyah and made a cover of Alicia keys 2004 single, “If I Ain’t Got You“. She developed a strong love for Hip Hop and R&B music.
She also began listening to the likes of Burna Boy, Lauryn Hill, Adele, Coldplay, Paramore, Asa. At the age of 15 she stopped listening to other musicians since she wanted to discover her niche and her own emotions surrounding music and not based on how other people felt it was.
She began learning how to play musical instruments while attending musical classes and using her brother’s guitar.
She rose to prominence after she was featured on Wizkid’s 2020 single Essence which peaked number 9 on Billboard’s Hot 100 charts making her the first African Artist making her the first African artist to debut at number 1 and the second Nigerian artist to reach number 2. This was followed by the release of the remix version with Justin Bieber after which she was featured on the “Fountains” song by Drake.
In 2020 Tems released her debut extended play for “For Broken Ears“, followed by her second extended play, “If Orange Was A Place” after she signed a record deal with RCA records.
Discography
EP
- For broken Ears
- If Orange Was A Place
Singles
- Me and U
- These Days
- Mr. Rebel
- Ice T
- No Woman No Cry
- Interference
- Peace
- Live Live
- Témìlàde Interlude
- Free Mind
- Higher
- Damages
- Crazy Tings
- Looku Looku
- Try Me
- Found
- Replay
Awards and Nominations
On February 5, 2023, Tems won the Best Melodic Rap Performance Grammy for her collaboration on Wait For You with Future and Drake. She also won the Female MVP award at Sound City MVP Awards at the Eko convention center in Lagos.
She also received a Grammy Award, two ACCP Image Awards, three BET Awards, three Soul Train Music Awards. She also co-wrote the song “Lift Me Up” alongside Rihanna which earned her nominations for various award including Academy Award for Best Original Song, Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, and the Grammy Award for Best Song Written By Visual Media.
Tems and Ayra Starr Relationship
Tems and Ayra Starr are not related in any way except the fact that both are female vocalists and fascinating musical warlbers.
Controversies
On 14 December, Tems was arrested alongside fellow Nigerian singer, Omaha Lay, after their performance in a show in Uganda.The Ugandan Police Stated they were arrested for the violation of COVID-19 lockdown protocols. They were released two days later after their arrest, and the Ugandan Government apologized for their arrest and dropped charges against them. However the two artists felt the whole thing was a setup.
Tems has indeed set herself apart in the worldwide music scene while showcasing her phantasy and lyrical crooning skills to her audience worldwide thereby earning herself massive admirers across the globe.
written by Ruth Ama Onumah
