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.

Ayra Starr has gone from a young singer posting covers online into one of the most recognisable names in Afrobeats. Her music has taken her from Lagos to international stages, but there are still a few details about her journey that may surprise even longtime fans.

Here are five things you may not know about Ayra Starr.

She was born in Cotonou

Photo: Instagram/@Ayrastarr

Ayra Starr, whose real name is Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe, was born in Cotonou, Benin Republic, on June 14, 2002. She spent her childhood between Cotonou, Abuja and and Lagos, experiences she said shaped the way she adapts to different people and environments. Her parents are Nigerian and are both from Kwara State.

 She started out in modelling

Before pursuing music professionally, Ayra Starr modelled as a teenager. She signed with Lagos-based Quove Model Management as a teenager and was modelling at 16. She also appeared in Eri Ife’s “Dear Future Wife” music video during that period.

Starr has described modelling as something she pursued because people told her she was not tall enough to do it. Rather than giving up, she decided to prove them wrong.

She speaks four languages

She speaks Yoruba, French, English and Nigerian Pidgin. In a Pitchfork interview, she explained that her mother taught her Yoruba, which she jokingly described as the language she needed to use when talking to her aunties.

She started university Unusually Young

Photo: Instagram/@Ayrastarr

Ayra Starr began university at 15, studying International Relations and Political Science in Cotonou. She told Pitchfork that she deliberately wanted to finish her education early because she had already decided she wanted to become a teenage pop star.

She eventually graduated with a degree in International Relations and Political Science before her music career took off internationally.

She was discovered through a song she posted online

Photo: Instagram/@AyrastarrPhoto: Instagram/@Ayrastarr

Before signing with Mavin Records, Starr regularly posted song covers on Instagram. She eventually uploaded an original song, “Damage,” in December 2019 Don Jazzy reached out within hours and invited her to the studio.

Her discovery happened quickly. In an interview with GRAMMY.com, Starr recalled that after posting one of her covers, Don Jazzy reached out within hours, and she was signed days later.

From modelling as a teenager to posting music online and eventually becoming a Grammy-nominated artist, Ayra Starr’s path to the spotlight started long before her biggest hits.

Uzoamaka Power formerly known as Uzoamaka Aniunoh, a popular Nigerian actresses, filmmaker and writer has continued to build a reputation as one of the most talented actress in the Nigeria film industry. She is widely recognised for films like, “The Weekend”, “Mami Wata”, and “Diiche”. While fans admire her creativity there are many interesting facts about her journey which remain unknown to many fans.

Uzoamaka Power was not her original professional name.

Photo: Instagram

The actress was initially known as Uzoamaka Doris Aniunoh, but she later adopted Power as her professional surname in 2025. She said the name represents the resilience, strength and hard work she brings to her creative work. It reflects a new version of her career.

Reports show that she has already been using the name online years before making it official.

She has a solid academic background.

Aside from being one of the Nollywood actresses, she is highly educated. Before stepping into the Nollywood industry, she earned a degree in English and History from the University of Nigeria and later earned a Master’s degree in creative writing from the University of Birmingham which influenced her abilities.

She is an accomplished writer.

Her work extends beyond acting as it is just one part of her skill. Although she is widely known for her performances, she is also a good writer and director, whose literary works, have appeared on platforms like Brittle Paper and The Missing Slate. She has written fiction and creative works some of which have been recognised by popular Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

MTV Shuga helped launch her acting career.

Photo: Instagram

MTV Shuga helped launch her acting career. After returning from the UK to Nigeria in 2017. Uzoamaka participated in an audition for the popular youth drama television series MTV Shuga. Her role in the show served as a stepping stone to her acting career, as it helped introduce her talent to a wider audience and gave her bigger opportunities in Nollywood.

She is building a career both in front of and behind the camera.

Uzoamaka is not focused solely on acting unlike many actors. She’s also building a career as a director, producer and a writer. In recent years she has worked on various projects. She revealed that she is working on feature scripts and onscreen projects, which shows her commitment to shaping the future of African storytelling.

Uzoamaka Power has won the Kim Renders Memorial Award for her outstanding performance at the Reelout Film Festival in 2021. She has also received major nominations from the Africa Movie Academy Awards and the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards. Her rise from being a writer in Nollywood.