Tems

Tems emerged as a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and producer whose fusion of alternative R&B and Afrobeats quickly drew worldwide notice. Following the 2019 success of her single “Try Me,” she joined WizKid on “Essence” and appeared with Drake on “Fountains.” Both of her initial EPs—2020’s For Broken Ears and 2021’s If Orange Was a Place—produced further standouts such as “Damages” and the Brent Faiyaz collaboration “Found.” She later contributed to Future’s 2022 chart-topping single “Wait for U,” which earned a Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance. Her first full-length project, Born in the Wild, reached listeners in 2024.

Raised in Lagos by a Nigerian mother and British father, Temilade Openiyi lived briefly in the U.K. during childhood before returning to Nigeria. There she honed her skills through local choir work, studied piano, and began composing original material shaped by classic Nigerian sounds along with the work of Lauryn Hill and Amy Winehouse. Releasing music as Tems, she issued the 2018 single “Mr. Rebel,” then followed with “Looku Looku” and the breakout track “Try Me” in 2019. The year 2020 brought her debut EP, For Broken Ears, plus notable partnerships including a Khalid-assisted remix of Davido’s “Know Your Worth” and another WizKid feature on “Essence,” while her own “Damages” also connected with audiences. A second EP, If Orange Was a Place, arrived in 2021, the same year she joined Drake on “Fountains” and appeared on the Justin Bieber–remixed version of “Essence.” In 2022 she guested on Future’s “Wait for U,” which topped the U.S. charts and later received the Grammy for Best Melodic Rap Performance; additional credits that year included Beyoncé’s Renaissance and the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack. The amapiano-tinged 2023 single “Me & U,” built around an unreleased Drake song, registered on multiple international pop charts, succeeded by the follow-up releases “Not an Angel” and “Love Me JeJe.” Born in the Wild, Tems’ debut album, appeared to widespread praise in 2024.