Who is Tems?
Leading Nigerian female artist Temilade Openiyi (born June 11, 1995) occupies a position at the intersection of the Afrobeats, R&B, and Alté musical genres.
The musician, professionally known as Tems, rose to prominence in the music industry following the release of her self-produced debut single, Mr Rebel.
Nevertheless, her prominence in the Nigerian music industry increased subsequent to the release of her follow-up single, Try Me. Tems, who debuted with the EP For Broken Ears in 2020, quickly gained the favor of millions of Afrobeats enthusiasts across the nation.
The singer has been entered twice on the Billboard Hot 100. The debut was achieved through her partnership with sensation Wizkid on the single Essence.
The latter, however, was the consequence of a feature on Fountains, which is a single from Drake’s album Certified Lover Boy.
Early Years
Tems was born to the Yoruba family of Mr. and Mrs. Openiyi on June 11, 1995. She obtains her British citizenship from her British-Nigerian father. In contrast, her mother is of Nigerian descent and is from the South West region.
Temilade Openiyi was the given name by her parents and was born in Lagos. Owning an older sibling, she is the secondborn of her family.
Following her birth, the Openiyis relocated to the United Kingdom; however, their sojourn in the region was prematurely terminated due to the divorce of her parents.
As a result, she and her brother returned to Nigeria with their mother. In contrast, her father continued to reside in the United Kingdom.
The family initially settled in Ilupeju upon their return, subsequently relocating to Victoria Island, and subsequently inhabiting Lekki and Ajah, in that order. As a result, her upbringing has been relatively comfortable.
Tems was brought up in a Christian household. Due to her mother, she was exposed to a multitude of gospel hymns during her childhood.
Nevertheless, as she aged, she developed a desire to explore alternative musical genres. As a result, she was introduced to the music of superstars including Aaliyah, Lil Wayne, Beyoncé, and Destiny Child.
Her high school music instructor recognized her as a musically accomplished student. Additionally, during her adolescent years, she acquired proficiency in playing the piano and guitar.
Originally named Temilade Openiyi, she astutely composed a name that became well-known. Tems, a Nigerian vocalist, songwriter, and record producer, is 28 years old.
Tems was born in Lagos State, Nigeria, on 11 June 1995, and spent her childhood there. Human Music and Reset Industries have signed her.
Education
In the United Kingdom, Tems attended an elementary school for a limited period of time. Upon her return to Nigeria, she enrolled in a prestigious primary school to complete her elementary schooling.
She graduated from Dowen College, Lekki, with honors after completing her secondary education there.
She pursued her tertiary education at an institution located in South Africa.
Born and educated in Lagos, Tems attended Dowen College, which is located in the Lekki neighborhood of the city.
She graduated from a university in Johannesburg, South Africa, with a degree in economics.
Tems Musical Career
Upon reaching the age of fifteen, Tems had already made the conscious decision to pursue a professional career in music. She took the initial step toward actualizing this ambition by ceasing to attend to other artists.
In doing so, she came to terms with her personal manner. Subsequently, she initiated an independent musical experimentation that gave rise to a distinctive style characterized by the fusion of Alté, Afrobeats, and R&B.
She began to acquire expertise in sound production during her time at university. Acquiring this ability was intended to enable her to compose beats for her own compositions.
Tems formally began her musical career in 2018 with the release of Rebel, her debut single, for which she had also produced the beats.
Rebel played a pivotal role in acquainting her with the Nigerian music scene, where her prodigious alté abilities were widely recognized.
However, it was Try Me, her subsequent single, that performed the trick and immediately garnered her thousands of fans.
The composition achieved tremendous radio success, garnering consistent rotation on stations throughout the nation.
Her radio accomplishments resulted in a surge in streams across digital music platforms. The release of Try Me occurred in August of 2019.
READ ALSO: Nasboi Biography: Girlfriend, Age, Religion, Net Worth, Brother, Wikipedia, Wikipedia, Songs
In recognition of her distinctive vocal abilities, Tems was extended an invitation to collaborate with the American vocalist Khalid. By accepting the invitation, she contributed to the development of the Know Your Worth rendition. On the remix, Davido, an additional Nigerian artist, was also present.
Tems, in accordance with the desires of her supporters, finalized her debut album and issued it on September 25, 2020. Produced by Tems, the extended play For Broken Ears achieved commercial success throughout Europe, North America, and Nigeria.
Damages, the main single from the album, was the fan favorite and exceeded her success with Try Me.
In the same year, she worked with Wizkid on the most successful single from his Made In Lagos album, Essence’s. Essence has propelled Tems to international music stardom.
She was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Global Music Performance, a number one position on the BBC 1Xtra Airplay Chart, a Soul Train Music Award, and two NAACP Image Awards in recognition of her contribution to the creation of the hit single.
As a result of her accomplishments with Essence, she was invited to collaborate with the Canadian-American rapper and vocalist Drake.
One of the tunes from Drake’s Certified Lover Boy album, Fountain, featured her. Fountain contributed to Tems’s second Billboard Hot 100 appearance.
Almost a year after the release of her debut album, Tems released If Orange Was A Place, her sophomore EP. RCA Records produced and distributed the album, which features the commercially successful single Crazy Tings.
Guilty Beatz served as the album’s producer. Earlier that year, she had secured a recording contract with the publishing company.
Tems, whose musical journey began in a school choir when she was nine years old, devoted her entire attention to the instrument at the age of thirteen.
By the time she was in her twenties, she had established herself as a formidable household name as a record producer.
“Mr. Rebel” by Tems became an enormous success, elevating her to the forefront of Nigerian fast-rising acts.
An additional single released by Tems that propelled her to prominence was “Try Me,” which garnered international acclaim.
Tems’s single Mr. Rebel dispelled music enthusiasts’ comparisons between her and Burna Boy. Additionally, the song earned her nominations for awards such as Best Vocal Performance (Female) and Best Alternative Song at The Headies in 2019.
Awards and Nominations
At the 2021 Net Honor Awards, the singer Tems won the Most Alternative Song category for Damages.
In addition to being named the Best Female Artist at the 2021 African American Entertainment Awards, she received honors for her collaboration with Essence, including Best Collaboration, Best Video, and Song Of The Year.
Personal Life
Tems is ranked alongside female leading performers such as Tiwa Savage, Yemi Alade, and Simi as one of Nigeria’s top five female superstars.
The singer was five years old at the time of her parents’ separation. Furthermore, she upholds intimate bonds with both her mother and brother.
She enjoys spending time alone in her apartment or visiting her mother’s residence when she is not in the recording studio or performing at concerts.
Initially employed in the corporate sector, Tems left his position to pursue music professionally. The performer attributes her motivation to work harder as an artist to the influence of music icons such as Lauryn Hill, Burna Boy, Asa, and Adele.
Tems and Omah Lay, both Nigerian singers, were apprehended by Ugandan authorities in December 2020 for violating government-mandated Covid-19 prevention regulations by performing live performances within the country during a concert. The pair was held in police custody for a period of two days prior to their eventual release.
Despite rumors that she is involved with Wizkid, Tems is currently unattached. Furthermore, specifics regarding her past relationships remain undisclosed to the general public due to her deliberate decision to maintain their privacy.
Tems Baby, as she is affectionately referred to by her admirers, is presently regarded as one of the most prosperous artists in the music industry.
The singer and songwriter generates a substantial income from her music career through brand collaborations, royalties from discographies, and live performances.
Social Media
Tems, who represents the impact of Afrobeats on popular culture, is a well-known figure on social media.
The content she shares on her social media platforms enables her to interact with her existing fan base and attract new ones to her music.
At the moment, the performer has amassed more than 692k followers on Twitter and over 1.8 million followers on Instagram.
- Instagram: @Temsbaby
- Twitter: @Temsbaby
- Soundcloud: Temsbaby