Tems is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and producer whose thoughtful blend of alternative R&B and Afrobeat earned her international attention at the tail end of the 2010s. After notching the 2019 hit "Try Me," she began to appear on high-profile tracks like
WizKid's "Essence" and
Drake's "Fountains." Her first two EPs, 2020's
For Broken Ears and 2021's If Orange Was a Place, yielded her own hits like "Damages" and "Found," the latter featuring
Brent Faiyaz. She was then featured on
Future's chart-topping 2022 single "Wait for U."
Born in the capital city of Lagos to a Nigerian mother and British father, Temilade Openiyi spent part of her childhood in the U.K. before moving back to her home country. She nurtured her musical talent in a local choir, learning to play piano and eventually writing her own songs inspired both by classic Nigerian music and artists like
Lauryn Hill and
Amy Winehouse. Using the stage name
Tems, she released the single "Mr. Rebel" in 2018, followed a year later by "Looku Looku" and "Try Me," the latter of which became a significant hit. 2020 proved to be a banner year for
Tems with the release of her debut EP,
For Broken Ears, and a number of high-profile collaborations. She teamed up with American singer
Khalid on a remix of
Davido's track "Know Your Worth" and joined
WizKid on his song "Essence." Her own track, "Damages," also became a hit, and she followed up her success with a second EP, If Orange Was a Place, in 2021. That same year, she was featured on
Drake's track "Fountains" as well as a new mix of
WizKid's "Essence" that also featured Justin Beiber. Along with
Drake, she was featured on
Future's 2022 single "Wait for U," which reached number one in the U.S. ~ Timothy Monger