Tems

Tems Biography

Full Name

Temilade Openiyi

Stage Name

Tems

Date of Birth

June 11, 1995

Age

31 (as of 2026)

Country

Nigeria 🇳🇬

Hometown

Lagos, Nigeria

Genre

Afrobeats, Alté, R&B, Soul

Occupation

Singer, Songwriter, Record Producer

Years Active

2018–Present

Record Label

RCA Records / Since ’93

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Early Life

Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, was born on June 11, 1995, in Lagos, Nigeria. She discovered her passion for music at an early age, writing songs as a child and later teaching herself music production. Before becoming a full-time musician, she worked in digital marketing while pursuing her musical career.

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Career

Tems broke into the Nigerian music scene with Mr Rebel (2018) and Try Me (2019). Her global breakthrough came after featuring on Wizkid’s “Essence,” which became the first Nigerian song to reach the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 after its remix featuring Justin Bieber.

She has since collaborated with some of the world’s biggest artists, including:

* Wizkid
* Drake
* Future
* Beyoncé
* Rihanna
* Justin Bieber
* Asake
* Brent Faiyaz

Her debut album Born in the Wild and later EP Love Is a Kingdom further established her as one of Africa’s biggest international stars.

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Top Songs

* Essence (with Wizkid)
* Free Mind
* Love Me JeJe
* Me & U
* Higher
* Damages
* Found (feat. Brent Faiyaz)
* What You Need
* Burning
* Try Me

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Albums & EPs

* For Broken Ears (EP)
* If Orange Was a Place (EP)
* Born in the Wild (Album)
* Love Is a Kingdom (EP)

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Awards & Achievements

* 🏆 Two Grammy Awards.
* 🏆 BET Award winner.
* 🏆 NAACP Image Award winner.
* 🏆 Billboard Women in Music honoree.
* 🌍 Over one billion combined streams across major platforms.
* 🌍 One of Africa’s most successful female artists internationally.

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Musical Style

Tems combines:

* Afrobeats
* Alté
* R&B
* Soul

Her music often explores:

* Love
* Healing
* Self-discovery
* Faith
* Personal growth

Her rich voice and emotional songwriting have made her one of the defining artists of modern African music.

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Latest Releases

Some of Tems’ latest releases include:

* What You Need
* Big Daddy
* Love Me JeJe
* Burning
* Me & U

She continues to headline major festivals worldwide and remains one of Africa’s most influential artists.

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Social Media

* Instagram: @temsbaby
* X (Twitter): @temsbaby
* Facebook: Tems

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Why Tems Is Popular

Tems is celebrated for her distinctive voice, honest songwriting, and ability to blend Afrobeats with R&B and soul. Her collaborations with global stars and her award-winning solo work have made her one of the most influential African musicians of her generation.