Tems Artistfacts

June 11, 1995
Tems was born Temilade Openiyi in Lagos, Nigeria, to a Nigerian mother and a British-Nigerian father. Her family briefly moved to the UK when she was very young, but after her parents divorced around age 5, she returned to Nigeria with her mother, who played a major role in supporting her creative interests.
From an early age, Tems was drawn to powerful voices (she's cited Celine Dion as a major influence). At 11, she joined her school choir, where a supportive music teacher taught her piano and encouraged her vocal development. Tems would practice at home singing while her brother played guitar, and even though she was sometimes bullied in high school for her unusually deep voice, those early musical experiences helped her embrace it rather than try to mimic anyone else.
Tems started writing lyrics as a child and penned her first full song at 17, a Sunday-morning track inspired by the early-2010s music she loved. She went on to study economics at university, following a conventional academic path while quietly honing her music skills on the side. Using YouTube tutorials, she taught herself music production, which became a defining aspect of her sound.
Before her music career took off, Tems worked in digital marketing, but a message in a dailydevotional inspired her to quit in 2018 and pursue music full-time. That same year she self-produced her debut single, "Mr Rebel," establishing the moody, minimalist style she would later call her "Spirit" sound; music drawn directly from her soul, intended to heal and inspire courage.
Her 2019 single "Try Me" became a breakout hit in Nigeria, setting the stage for her international rise. The true global breakthrough came when she featured on Wizkid's 2020 hit "Essence," which became the first Nigerian song to crack the Billboard Hot 100 at #9 after a remix with Justin Bieber. She followed this with features on Drake's "Fountains" (2021) and Future's "Wait For U" (2022), the latter debuting at #1 on the Hot 100, making her the first African female artist to top that chart. "Wait For U" won a Grammy for Best Melodic Rap Performance, and she later earned a Grammy nomination as co-writer of "Lift Me Up" from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which also brought her an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song.
Tems has a natural beauty, often wearing her hair in free-flowing, natural styles. Her fashion is a blend of comfort, bold colors, African fabrics, and flowing silhouettes, reflecting both modern and traditional aesthetics.
While her songs often draw on real emotional experiences, she keeps her personal life private. For example, she told Radio 1Xtra that her 2025 song "What You Need" is about "getting over a breakup," but she avoided specifying any individual.
Tems speaks openly about her Christian faith. When a fan compared an image from the "Me & U" visuals to a water goddess, she replied on X that it was "about Jesus Christ teaching me how to walk on water, to trust Him and not in human understanding," adding that He had changed her life and would "fill you up" if sought. At the same time, Tems says she does not want to be boxed in as a Christian role model or spokesperson.

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