Full Name: Temilade Openiyi
Stage Name: Tems
Date of Birth: 11 June 1995.
Genres: R&B, Afrobeats, Alté, Alternative R&B
Years active: 2018 – Present.
Nationality: Nigerian
Labels: RCA Records, Leading Vibes.
Residence: Lagos
Occupation: Singer-songwriter, recording artist, performer, actress.
Instagram: temsbaby
Tems also known as Tems Baby is a Nigerian singer and songwriter known for her unique style of Afrobeat music. Born and raised in Nigeria, she began her music career at a young age and has since established herself as one of the most promising young talents in the Nigerian music scene.
Early Life and Education
Tems was born on June 11, 1995, in Lagos, Nigeria to a Nigerian mother and a British-Nigerian father. After her birth, she moved with her family to the UK, but returned to Nigeria at the age of 5 after her parents’ divorce. Tems grew up in Ilupeju and later lived in Lekki and Ajah.
During Tems’ school years, she attended Dowen College for secondary education and then completed tertiary studies at Monash South Africa. It was during this period that her musical capabilities were noticed by her music teacher. This enabled her to further hone her piano playing skills. She also honed her singing abilities by practicing with her brother, who would accompany her on guitar.
Musical Career
Tems first gained recognition for her powerful voice and captivating stage presence, and soon began to collaborate with some of the biggest names in the industry. She rose to prominence after she was featured on Wizkid’s 2020 single “Essence,” which reached the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 after the release of a remixed version with an additional feature from Justin Bieber, and earned her a Grammy Award nomination. That same year, she was featured on Drake’s song, “Fountains.”
She has since released several hit songs and has become known for her ability to blend traditional Afrobeat sounds with modern pop elements, creating a unique and engaging sound that has captured the hearts of audiences both in Nigeria and around the world. On 25 September 2020, she released her debut extended play, For Broken Ears. Tems released her second extended play, If Orange Was a Place (2021), after being signed to RCA Records. In 2022, Tems’ vocals from her song “Higher” were sampled by Future on his single, “Wait for U”, which led to her being credited as a featured artist alongside Drake on the song. It debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100, making her the first African artist to debut at number one and the second Nigerian artist to top the chart. The song earned her the Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance.
Tems’ Songs
Tems has released a good number of songs since her debut single. Some of them include:
• Mr Rebel
• Looku Looku
• Try Me
• Come Inn
• These Days
• If U then I
• Oldschool
• Plunge Down the Cascades
• Cruising
• Epiphany
• Diss for Lil’ProkS
• Ultra Happiness
• Ghost Detain
• Love Me Down
• Falling
• Twisted Tilde
• Tales By Moonlight
• Time Swap
• Good Time
• Drop
• Skills
• Too Bad
Albums and EP
• Illumination
• Time Swap EP
Awards and Nominations
BET Award for Best International Act
BET Award for Best Collaboration
The Headies Award for Best Collabo
South African Music Award for Rest of Africa Artist
Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Music Video
Soul Train Music Award for Best Collaboration
Soul Train Music Award for Best New Artist
The Headies Award for Best R&B Single
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding International Song
American Music Award for Favorite Song Rap/Hip-hop
The Headies Award for Best Female Artiste
The Headies Award for Best R&B Album
The Future Awards Africa Prize for Music (Endowed by Infinix)
The Headies Award for Song of the Year
BET Hip Hop Award for Best Collaboration
2022 · WAIT FOR U