If there were ever conversations discussing artists who have stuck to their core and reaped immense rewards from it, Tems would clearly lead the pack. She is the epitome of ambition and tenacity, which has glamorized her entire music career for over half a decade.
Since the release of breakout single, Try Me, in 2019, she has been on a continuous upward trajectory. Having taken on R&B as her focus genre while infusing elements of Alté and Afrobeats into her songs, she has grown her audience from a small community of Alté music lovers to a global listenership spanning all demographics.
To truly appreciate Tems' sublime and steady growth since she began her music career, we will take you through her journey over the past seven years while highlighting her position as the leading vibe in Nigeria’s pop culture.
Not many people were familiar with Tems beforeher breakout single, Try Me in 2019.At the start of her musical journey, she maintained a strong sense of communityand affiliation with the Alté movement, a culture that encompassed music andfashion and rapidly grew in Nigeria between 2016 and 2019.
This affiliation led to her collaborations with artists at the forefront of this movement, including ShowDemCamp, Boj,Ajebutter22, and Lady Donli, to name a few. During this time, she released her debut single, Mr Rebel, followed by Looku Looku and of course, Try Me.
She had properly crafted a remarkable notion of the style of music she makes and positioned herself in the minds of listeners as an artist to be watched. Tems was ready for the next level of growth in her career, which was to SCALE from her communal acceptance to global recognition.
Tems' remarkable work over the years earned her a feature on one of the most significant bodies of work in Afrobeats history, Made In Lagos, an album by Wizkid released in 2020. On this album, Tems featured on Essence, a song that went on to receive a nomination for Best Global Music Performance at the 64th Grammy Awards in 2022.
In the same year, she featured on Future's Wait For You, alongside Drake. This collaboration won the award for Best Melodic Rap Performance at the 65th Grammy Awards in 2023. During this time, Tems also earned features from international superstars, including Drake and Beyoncé, which contributed to her worldwide acclaim and, as we will see, helped cement her status as a global superstar.
2024 was a milestone year for Tems. With two EPs and several notable collaborations under her belt, she released her debut album. This album immediately stood out for several reasons, one of which was its hit single, Love Me Jeje, which interpolates the legendary Seyi Sodimu’s 1997 single, Love Me Jeje.
In the same year as her album release, she commenced her world tour, named after the album, The Born In The Wild Tour. This was a laudable effort as she took on the European and North American markets, introducing her project to fresh audiences and new listeners.
On February 2, 2025, Tems became the most awarded Nigerian artist at the Grammys after winning Best African Music Performance at the 67th Grammy Awards for her hit single, Love Me Jeje.
Barely two weeks after this remarkable feat, on February 18, 2025, she made history as the first African female artist to surpass a billion streams on Spotify with Wait For You. The very next day, she performed at the Aston Martin livery unveiling during F1’s special launch event.
As if all these wins weren’t enough, on February 12, 2025, she officially became the first African female with ownership rights in U.S. Major League Soccer. At this point, it seems like she was ready for the year before it even started. This level of superb achievement from one woman in such a short period may look like a stroke of luck or happenstance, but it is the clear reward of years of hard work and resilience.
Having achieved all of these, one may wonder:what other surprises does Tems have up her sleeve? What's next?
Tems is set to headline Billboard Presents: THE STAGE at SXSW London on June 5 at the Troxy in Shoreditch, London.
Beyond her impressive lineup of performances, Tems has undoubtedly etched her name in history as one of the most influential global superstars in Nigerian music history. She has not only amassed accolades for herself but also contributed significantly to the recognition of Nigerian and African music worldwide.
We have witnessed her journey from her early days to the present and seen firsthand how her dedication to her craft has served her well. Most importantly, the past year has been an extraordinary one for her.
2025 has already begun with numerous surprises from the artist, and while we can only speculate about what she has planned next, one thing is certain: Tems is indeed the LEADING VIBE.
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