Temilade Openiyi (born 11 June 1995), better known as Tems, is a multi-talented Nigerian singer, songwriter, record producer, and performer. She rose to fame after Wizkid featured her on his 2020 hit song, Essence with the remix featuring Justin Bieber and earned her a Grammy Award nomination. Tems also featured on Drake’s song titled Fountains.
Early Life and Education
Temilade Openiyi was born in Lagos, Nigeria, on June 11, 1995. Her family relocated to the UK shortly after her birth, where she was born to a Nigerian mother and a British-Nigerian father.
When she was five, her parents got divorced. Together with her mother and brother, Tems moved to Nigeria.
They first lived in Ilupeju before relocating to Lekki and then Ajah. Tems completed her undergraduate studies at Dowen College before moving on to Monash South Africa, where she studied economics.
She picked up the piano at school when her music teacher recognized her. She sang along with her brother while they practiced, frequently with him playing guitar.
Career
Tems gained notoriety when she appeared on Wizkid’s 2020 single, “Essence,” which received a Grammy Award nomination and peaked at number ten on the Billboard Hot 100 after receiving a remix with Justin Bieber’s added appearance. She appeared on Drake’s song “Fountains” the same year.
For Broken Ears, her debut extended play, was published on September 25, 2020. After signing with RCA Records, Tems released her second extended play, If Orange Was a Place in 2021.
Future sampled Tems’ vocals from her song “Higher” in 2022, and as a result, Tems was listed as a featured artist on Future’s single, “Wait for U.”
She became the first African artist to debut at number one and the second Nigerian artist to top the chart when it debuted at the top of the Billboard Hot 100.
For the soundtrack of the Marvel film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which was released in July 2022, Tems performed Bob Marley’s “No Woman, No Cry.” The same month, “Free Mind,” a song from Tems’s debut EP, had its Hot 100 debut.
Tems earned a BET, making her one of the five Nigerian women to make history in the month of July.
Tems has been nominated for numerous awards over the course of her career and has gone on to win two NAACP Image Awards, two BET Awards, and a Soul Train Music Award.
Leading Vibe Radio Show With Tems officially launched on March 31, 2022, on Apple Music 1. [33] Muyiwa Awoniyi and Tunji Balogun make an appearance in the show’s opening episode on April 2.
Tems and Drake were both featured on Future’s single “Wait for U,” off of Future’s eighth studio album, I Never Liked You, which was released on April 29, 2022.
Tems became the first African female artist to top the chart and especially to debut at the top of the chart when the song debuted at the top of the Hot 100. The song uses a sample of For Broken Ears’ “Higher” song.
Tems recorded Bob Marley’s No Woman, No Cry in July 2022 for the soundtrack of the next Marvel film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
With the release of her song “Free Mind” from For Broken Ears on the Hot 100 list on July 26, Tems earned her fourth Hot 100 entry.
Tems was announced as a guest artist on Beyoncé’s album Renaissance in July 2022. She worked with Grace Jones on the song “Move,” which became her fifth Hot 100 entry.
She co-wrote Rihanna’s song “Lift Me Up” for the soundtrack to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which was released in October 2022.
Net Worth
Tems has a net worth of about $1.5 million. She is a top female Afrobeat singer. Tems has dominated the music industry with her voice and ability to deliver incredible choruses and verses.
She has created influence in the music industry through her music career and makes money at the process including endorsement deals.
Personal Life
Tems and fellow singer Omah Lay were both arrested following their performance at an event in Uganda on December 14, 2020.
The two artists believed they were set up, despite the Ugandan police authority citing a violation of COVID-19 lockdown regulations as the basis for their detention.
Two days later, the Ugandan government released them, apologized for the arrests, and dismissed the charges.
Social Media
- Instagram: @temsbaby
- Twitter: @temsbaby
