Temilade Openiyi (born 11 June 1995), known professionally as Tems, is a
Nigerian
Nigerians or the Nigerian people are citizens of Nigeria or people with ancestry from Nigeria. The name Nigeria was taken from the Niger River running through the country. This name was allegedly coined in the late 19th century by British jour ...
singer and
songwriter
A songwriter is a musician who professionally composes musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music ...
. She rose to prominence after being featured on
Wizkid
Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun (born 16 July 1990), known professionally as Wizkid, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. A prominent figure in the modern-day Afrobeats music scene, Wizkid is regarded as one of the biggest and most influential Afri ...
's 2020 single "
Essence
Essence ( la, essentia) is a polysemic term, used in philosophy and theology as a designation for the property or set of properties that make an entity or substance what it fundamentally is, and which it has by necessity, and without which it ...
", which peaked at number 9 on the
Billboard Hot 100
The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streamin ...
chart following the release of the remix version with
Justin Bieber
Justin Drew Bieber ( ; born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian singer. Bieber is recognized for his genre-melding musicianship and has played an influential role in modern-day popular music. He was discovered by American record executive Scooter ...
. The song earned her a
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
nomination. That same year, she was featured on the song "
Fountains
A fountain, from the Latin "fons" (genitive "fontis"), meaning source or Spring (hydrology), spring, is a decorative reservoir used for discharging water. It is also a structure that jets water into the air for a decorative or dramatic effect. ...
" by
Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
.
In 2020, Tems released her debut extended play, ''
For Broken Ears''. Her second extended play, ''
If Orange Was a Place'' (2021), was released after she signed a record deal with
RCA Records
RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...
. 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
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
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
The Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance (awarded as Best Rap/Sung Collaboration until 2017, and Best Rap/Sung Performance from 2018 to 2020) is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and origina ...
. Tems covered
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981; baptised in 1980 as Berhane Selassie) was a Jamaican singer, musician, and songwriter. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, his musical career was marked by fusing elements o ...
's "
No Woman, No Cry
"No Woman, No Cry" is a reggae song by Bob Marley and the Wailers. The song was recorded in 1974 and released on the studio album '' Natty Dread''.
The live recording of this song from the 1975 album '' Live!'' was released as a single and is ...
" for the ''
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever''
soundtrack album in July 2022
and in the same month, her song "
Free Mind
"Free Mind" is a song by Nigerian singer and record producer Tems. It was released through Leading Vibes Limited on 25 September 2020, as the third track from Tems's debut extended play, '' For Broken Ears''. Tems wrote and produced the song, al ...
" from her debut EP debuted on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.
Throughout her career, Tems has received many accolades, including a
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
, two
NAACP Image Awards
The NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature. Similar to ...
, two
BET Awards
The BET Awards is an American award show that was established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate black entertainers and other minorities in music, film, sports and philanthropy. The awards, which are presented annua ...
and two
Soul Train Music Awards
The Soul Train Music Awards is an annual music awards show which previously aired in national broadcast syndication, and honors the best in African-American culture, music and entertainment. It is produced by the makers of '' Soul Train'', the p ...
. She also co-wrote the song "
Lift Me Up" by
Rihanna, which earned her nominations for the
Academy Award for Best Original Song, and the
Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song
The Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song is a Golden Globe Award that was awarded for the first time in 1962 and has been awarded annually since 1965 by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. The award is presented to the songwriters of a ...
.
Early life
Temilade Openiyi was born on 11 June 1995, in
Lagos
Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national capital of Nigeria until December 1991 fo ...
, Nigeria, to a Nigerian mother and a British-Nigerian father. Shortly after her birth, the family relocated to the UK; however, when she was 5 years old, her parents' divorce caused her to return to Nigeria.
Tems resided in Ilupeju before moving to
Lekki
Lekki is a city in Lagos State, Nigeria. It is located to the south-east of Lagos city. Lekki is a naturally formed peninsula, adjoining to its west Victoria Island and Ikoyi districts of Lagos, with the Atlantic Ocean to its south, Lagos Lagoon ...
and later
Ajah.
Tems attended
Dowen College
Dowen College is a co-education college located in Lekki, a suburb of Lagos.
The college takes both boarding and day pupils and admits them between the age of 11–18 years. In 2015, the school organised a valedictory service, where outstanding ...
for her secondary education and
Monash South Africa
The IIE MSA, formerly known as Monash South Africa, is a university located in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa. The Managing Director at IIE MSA is currently Louise Wiseman.
History
The IIE MSA was founded in 2001 as Monash South Afr ...
for her tertiary education.
At school, she was noticed by her music teacher and learned to play the piano. She practised singing with her brother and often used his guitar accompaniment.
Career
2018–2021: Career beginnings and extended plays
In 2018, Tems quit her job to pursue a career in music. She began to learn self production skills on
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...
and on 18 July 2018, she released her debut single, "Mr Rebel", a song which she produced by herself.
On 7 August 2019, she released the single "Try Me".
In 2020, DJ Edu chose her as one of "ten artists to watch" that year. On 23 April 2020, Tems was featured alongside fellow Nigerian singer
Davido on a reworked version of American singer-songwriter
Khalid
Khalid (variants include Khaled and Kalid; Arabic: خالد) is a popular Arabic male given name meaning "eternal, everlasting, immortal", and it also appears as a surname. and English
electronic music
Electronic music is a genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromechanical means ( electroa ...
duo
Disclosure
Disclosure may refer to:
Arts and media
* ''Disclosure'' (The Gathering album), 2012
*Disclosure (band), a UK-based garage/electronic duo
* ''Disclosure'' (novel), 1994 novel written by Michael Crichton
** ''Disclosure'' (1994 film), an American ...
's single, "
Know Your Worth
"Know Your Worth" is a song by American singer Khalid and English duo Disclosure. It was released as a single through RCA Records on February 4, 2020. It appears on the deluxe version of Disclosure's third studio album, ''Energy'' (2020). Followin ...
".
On 25 September 2020, Tems released her debut extended play, ''
For Broken Ears''. It was produced primarily by her and the single "
Damages
At common law, damages are a remedy in the form of a monetary award to be paid to a claimant as compensation for loss or injury. To warrant the award, the claimant must show that a breach of duty has caused foreseeable loss. To be recognised at ...
" from the EP became another follow up hit to "Try Me", peaking at number one on the Nigerian
Apple Music
Apple Music is a music, audio and video streaming service developed by Apple Inc. Users select music to stream to their device on-demand, or they can listen to existing playlists. The service also includes the Internet radio stations Apple M ...
chart and number six on the then-newly launched
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 ...
chart and garnering five million views on YouTube. On 30 October 2020, Tems was featured on fellow Nigerian singer
Wizkid
Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun (born 16 July 1990), known professionally as Wizkid, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. A prominent figure in the modern-day Afrobeats music scene, Wizkid is regarded as one of the biggest and most influential Afri ...
's single, "
Essence
Essence ( la, essentia) is a polysemic term, used in philosophy and theology as a designation for the property or set of properties that make an entity or substance what it fundamentally is, and which it has by necessity, and without which it ...
", from the latter's fourth studio album, ''
Made in Lagos
''Made in Lagos'' is the fourth studio album by Nigerian singer Wizkid. It was released on 30 October 2020 by Starboy Entertainment and RCA Records. The album features guest appearances from Burna Boy, Skepta, H.E.R., Ella Mai, Tay Iwar, Proje ...
''. The song earned her a number one spot on
BBC 1Xtra
BBC Radio 1Xtra is a British digital radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It broadcasts black music and urban music, including hip hop and R&B and is a sister station to Radio 1. Launching at 18:00 on 16 August 2002, it had been c ...
Airplay Chart. and also earned her first career entry on
Billboard Hot 100
The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streamin ...
at number 9. Tems won a
Soul Train Music Awards
The Soul Train Music Awards is an annual music awards show which previously aired in national broadcast syndication, and honors the best in African-American culture, music and entertainment. It is produced by the makers of '' Soul Train'', the p ...
,
two
NAACP Image Awards
The NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature. Similar to ...
,
and received a
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
nomination for
Best Global Music Performance.
On 8 November 2020, Tems was included in
The Future Awards Africa: Class of 2020.
On 13 August 2021, a reworked version of "Essence", which contains an additional feature from Canadian singer
Justin Bieber
Justin Drew Bieber ( ; born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian singer. Bieber is recognized for his genre-melding musicianship and has played an influential role in modern-day popular music. He was discovered by American record executive Scooter ...
, was released, which propelled the song to reach number nine on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100. On 3 September 2021, Tems was featured on Canadian rapper and singer
Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
's song, "
Fountains
A fountain, from the Latin "fons" (genitive "fontis"), meaning source or Spring (hydrology), spring, is a decorative reservoir used for discharging water. It is also a structure that jets water into the air for a decorative or dramatic effect. ...
", from the latter's sixth studio album, ''
Certified Lover Boy
''Certified Lover Boy'' is the sixth studio album by Canadian rapper and singer Drake, released on September 3, 2021, by OVO Sound and Republic Records. Its production was handled by frequent collaborators 40, Nineteen85, PartyNextDoor, OZ, a ...
'', which debuted at number 26 on the Hot 100. On 15 September 2021, Tems released her second extended play, ''
If Orange Was a Place'', after being signed to RCA records. It was primarily produced by
GuiltyBeatz
Ronald Banful (born January 17, 1990), known professionally as GuiltyBeatz, is a Ghanaian DJ and record producer. Born in Palermo, Italy, GuiltyBeatz first gained prominence as a music producer after his production on "Bad girl" by Jesse Jagz ft. W ...
, and the single "Crazy Tings" was released five days before and peaked at number three on the
UK Afrobeats Singles Chart.
Later, Tems reached number one on the ''Billboard''
Next Big Sound
Next Big Sound (NBS) is a New York-based company which provides analytics for online music. The company analyses the popularity of musicians in social networks, streaming services, and radio. The company was acquired by Pandora Radio in May 20 ...
chart and the ''Billboard''
Emerging Artists
The ''Billboard'' Twitter Real-Time charts were four interactive ''Billboard'' music magazine charts debuted on May 27, 2014. The charts ranked trending songs from popular and emerging artists based on how often they are mentioned in messages call ...
chart.
2022–present: Breakthrough
On 31 March 2022,
Apple Music 1
Apple Music 1, previously branded as Beats 1, is a 24/7 music radio station owned and operated by Apple Inc. It is accessible through iTunes or the Apple Music app on a computer, smartphone or tablet, smart speaker (such as the Apple HomePod) ...
Launched Leading Vibe Radio Show With Tems. On 2 April, its first episode features an appearance from Muyiwa Awoniyi, and
Tunji Balogun. On 29 April 2022, Tems was featured alongside Drake on American rapper
Future's single, "
Wait for U", from the latter's ninth studio album, ''
I Never Liked You''. The song debuted atop the Hot 100, making Tems the first African female artist to top the chart and more so debut atop the chart.
The song samples the song "Higher" from ''For Broken Ears''.
In July 2022, Tems covered
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981; baptised in 1980 as Berhane Selassie) was a Jamaican singer, musician, and songwriter. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, his musical career was marked by fusing elements o ...
's
No Woman, No Cry
"No Woman, No Cry" is a reggae song by Bob Marley and the Wailers. The song was recorded in 1974 and released on the studio album '' Natty Dread''.
The live recording of this song from the 1975 album '' Live!'' was released as a single and is ...
for the Marvel movie ''
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever'' soundtrack which she was credited alongside Rihanna.
On 26 July, Tems gained her fourth Hot 100 with her song "''
Free Mind
"Free Mind" is a song by Nigerian singer and record producer Tems. It was released through Leading Vibes Limited on 25 September 2020, as the third track from Tems's debut extended play, '' For Broken Ears''. Tems wrote and produced the song, al ...
''" from ''For Broken Ears'' debuted on the chart.
In July 2022, Tems was announced as a guest artist on Beyoncé's album ''
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history
The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (800 BC to AD ...
,'' collaborating on the song "Move" with
Grace Jones, becoming her fifth entry on the Hot 100. In October 2022, she co-wrote
Rihanna's song "
Lift Me Up" for the ''
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever'' soundtrack.
Ludwig Göransson
Ludwig Emil Tomas Göransson (; ; born 1 September 1984) is a Swedish composer, conductor and record producer. He has scored films such as ''Fruitvale Station'', the ''Rocky'' franchise entries ''Creed'' and ''Creed II'', ''Venom'', and ''Tene ...
,
Rihanna,
Ryan Coogler
Ryan Kyle Coogler (born May 23, 1986) is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. He is a recipient of four NAACP Image Awards, four Black Reel Awards, a Golden Globe Award nomination and an Academy Award nomination for Best Pictu ...
, and Tems were nominated at the 2023
Golden Globe Awards for “
Best Original Song — Motion Picture” for “Lift Me Up” from the film ''Black Panther: Wakanda Forever''.
In 2023,
Future,
Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
, and Tems won the Grammy Award for
Best Melodic Rap Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance (awarded as Best Rap/Sung Collaboration until 2017, and Best Rap/Sung Performance from 2018 to 2020) is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and original ...
for “
Wait for U.” Thus, it marks the first female Nigerian artiste to win a Grammy Award.
Tems won the Female MVP award at the Soundcity MVP Awards, which were held at the Eko Convention Centre in Lagos in February 2023.
Artistry
Tems' mother only allowed her to listen to
Christian music
Christian music is music that has been written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life and faith. Common themes of Christian music include praise, worship, penitence, and lament, and its forms vary widely aroun ...
when Tems was a child. Later in her teenage years, she became interested in
R&B and
hip hop music. She listened to
Destiny's Child,
Beyoncé,
Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman, joining ...
, and
Aaliyah, and covered
Alicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. A classically trained pianist, Keys started composing songs when she was 12 and was signed at 15 years old by Col ...
' 2004 single, "
If I Ain't Got You
"If I Ain't Got You" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys for her second studio album ''The Diary of Alicia Keys'' (2003). Inspired by the 2001 death of singer Aaliyah, the September 11 attacks, and other events in the ...
", in a live performance. Growing up, she was also interested in artists such as
Burna Boy
Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu (born 2 July 1991), known professionally as Burna Boy, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and record producer. He rose to stardom in 2012 after releasing "Like to Party", the lead single from his debut studio album, ''L.I. ...
,
Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Noelle Hill (born May 26, 1975) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer. She is often regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, as well as being one of the most influential musicians of her generation. ...
,
Adele
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (, ; born 5 May 1988), professionally known by the mononym Adele, is an English singer and songwriter. After graduating in arts from the BRIT School in 2006, Adele signed a rec ...
,
Rihanna,
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British rock band formed in London in 1997. They consist of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer Will Champion and creative director Phil Harvey. They met at University ...
,
Paramore, and
Asa.
At the age of 15, she stopped listening to other artists in search of her own identity, because "I wanted to learn how to attack a song from what I was feeling, not what Beyoncé would do or anyone else".
Her voice has been described as deep, velvety, and androgynous.
Legal issues
On 14 December 2020, Tems was arrested alongside fellow Nigerian singer
Omah Lay
Stanley Omah Didia, known professionally as Omah Lay, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. He gained widespread recognition in early 2020 after his self-produced single, "Bad Influence", went viral on social media. He is also known for being fea ...
after they performed in a show in Uganda. The Ugandan police authority identified violation of COVID-19 lockdown protocols as the reason for their arrests, but the two artists felt they were set up. Two days later, the Ugandan government released them, apologised for the arrests and dropped the charges against the two artists.
Discography
Soundtrack Albums
Extended plays
Singles
As lead artist
As featured artist
Other charted songs
Awards and nominations
On February 5, 2023, Tems won a
Best Melodic Rap Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance (awarded as Best Rap/Sung Collaboration until 2017, and Best Rap/Sung Performance from 2018 to 2020) is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and original ...
Grammy for her collaboration on “
Wait For U” with
Future and
Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
.
That same month, she won the Female MVP award at the
Soundcity MVP Awards
The Soundcity MVP Awards Festival ("TheMVPs" or "MVP") is an event presented by Soundcity TV which awards plaques to musicians and performers across Africa. Since 2007, the winners are chosen by the viewers and fans by visiting #TheMVPs' website ...
held at the Eko Convention Centre in Lagos.
Notes
References
External links
*
*
*
{{Authority control
1995 births
21st-century Nigerian women singers
English-language singers from Nigeria
Living people
Nigerian people of British descent
Nigerian rhythm and blues singers
Nigerian women singer-songwriters
RCA Records artists
Singers from Lagos State
Yoruba women musicians
Nigerian alté singers
Grammy Award winners
Afrobeats musicians