"Damages" is a song by Nigerian singer and record producer
Tems
Temilade Openiyi (born 11 June 1995), known professionally as Tems, is a Nigerian singer. 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 releas ...
. It was released on 17 September 2020. Written by Tems and produced by
Spax, the song is the only single from Tems's first EP ''
For Broken Ears'', which was released on 25 September 2020.
The song peaked at number one on Apple Nigeria, number two on the Apple Music R&B Songs chart, and at number six on the
TurnTable Top 50
The TurnTable Top 50 (also known as TurnTable Nigeria Top 50 Albums chart) is the official album streaming chart in Nigeria. It is compiled every Tuesday by a Nigeria-based music digital streaming tracking company and published every Tuesday by ...
. On 24 November 2020, "Damages" became the most played song on Nigeria radio.
Composition
"Damages" is an alternative R&B / soul track. Lyrically, it show Tems asking her lover to take a stance in the relationship because she does not want the relationship to fail.
Critical reception
The song received positive reviews from critics. A review from ''Pulse Nigeria'' stated that "the song is between a girl power anthem and a refusal of bad treatment",
while another review from ''
BellaNaija
''BellaNaija'' is a lifestyle, entertainment and fashion website in Africa. headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria.
History
BellaNaija was founded by Uche Eze in 2006 as a media startup which later metamorphosed into BellaNaija.com while studying for ...
'' noted that "The intimate beat of 'Damages' reflects the alternative R&B fused with a Neo-soul sound, and a sprinkle of the traditional Nigerian flavor".
Music video
The music video was released on 23 September 2020. Directed by Ademola Falamo, the visual shows Tems in a clubhouse with her groups of rebels.
Accolades
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
References
{{Authority control
2020 singles
2020 songs
Tems songs
Songs written by Tems (singer)
Alternative R&B songs