Tems’ Journey From Lagos to Global Stardom

Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, was born in Lagos and returned to Nigeria with her mother after her parents separated. Her childhood in Lagos was quiet and, by her own account, lonely. She wrote poems about her feelings and began writing songs at around age 11. Some were about not having friends and being called weird by classmates. The music room became an escape for her. She listened to Lauryn Hill, Lil’ Kim, Paramore and OutKast while finding her own voice.

Before pursuing music full-time, Tems studied economics in Johannesburg and later worked in marketing. In 2018, she left her corporate job to concentrate on music. She released “Mr Rebel” that year, followed by songs including “Try Me,” helped establish her as emerging voice in Nigeria’s alternative music scene.

Photo: Instagram/@temsbaby

Her international profile changed in 2020 when she appeared on Wizkid’s “Essence.” The song became a major international hit, and the remix with Justin Bieber extending it’s global reach. “Essence” brought Tems her first Grammy nomination, for Best Global Music Performance at the 2022 awards.

Tems kept on building her own catalogue, releasing her debut EP, “For Broken Ears”, in 2020, then “If Orange Was a Place” in 2021. Her collaborations picked up too: she featured on Drake’s “Fountains” from “Certified Lover Boy” in 2021 and joined Beyoncé and Grace Jones on “MOVE.” Then “Wait For U,” with Future and Drake, the song that won her first Grammy, for Best Melodic Rap Performance at the 2023 ceremony.

Photo: Instagram/@temsbaby

In 2024, she released “Born in the Wild”, her first studio album. The 18-track project draws from R&B, soul, Afrobeats and rap. “Love Me JeJe” also ties the album back to Nigerian music history, sampling elements of Seyi Sodimu’s 1997 song of the same name.

At the 2025 Grammys, “Love Me JeJe” won Best African Music Performance. The award was Tems’ second Grammy.

She’s gone from writing privately about her feelings to becoming one of the most distinct voices in Nigerian music today.