From Lagos to the Grammys, Nigerian singer-songwriter Tems has conquered the global stage without compromising who she is. “Authenticity is everything to me,” she says. “That’s the one thing I cannot compromise on because that’s all I have — who I really am.”

When Tems stepped on stage at New York’s MetLife Stadium for the FIFA Club World Cup halftime show in July, the world was watching. The 30-year-old admits performing for millions of global viewers was nerve-wracking. Still, she reflects on the moment with gratitude. “It was an honor to just be there,” she says.

For some, her performance was their first introduction to the soulful popstar who has become one of Africa’s best-known cultural exports. For many others, it was confirmation of what they already knew: Tems is rewriting the rules of global music.

Born Temilade Openiyi in Lagos, Nigeria she started writing songs at a young age, teaching herself to produce music when few were willing to give her a shot. “It was really hard to get people to take me seriously — not just as a producer, but as a singer, period,” she recalls. “I didn’t feel safe, and I didn’t feel seen, and I didn’t feel supported for a very long time.” Those early struggles did not derail her: instead, they became her fuel.

Rise to superstardom

That grit powered her rise to superstardom. Tems collaborated with Wizkid on “Essence” in 2020, which became the first Nigerian song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2022, Tems made history again when vocal snippets from her song “Higher” were sampled in Future and Drake’s Grammy-winning “Wait for U,” which debuted at No. 1 on the same chart — another first for Nigerians. Her own single “Free Mind” climbed the US charts, while her voice and lyrics found their way onto Beyoncé’s “Move” and Rihanna’s “Lift Me Up.”

In 2025, she cemented her place among music’s elite winning a Grammy for Best African Music Performance for “Love Me JeJe,” a reimagining of a Nigerian classic.

Despite her rapid ascent, Tems insists that fame has never been the goal. “I wasn’t thinking, is this working or not working? I was just like, well, I’m going to be me. If being me lands me under the bridge, cool. If it lands me on top of the mountain, cool.”

That fearless authenticity has become her trademark.

And now, she’s channeling that conviction into something bigger than herself. In August, Tems launched the Leading Vibe Initiative, a mentorship and training platform designed to support women in music. The initiative hopes to reshape an industry that often sidelines female talent. “There are so many talented women that can be producers, managers, audio engineers — but they’re not even visible,” she says. “So, I want to make them visible and create a space where we can redefine the perspective of women in music.”

With the initiative, which is open to women ages 18-35, Tems chose to begin in Lagos, but her ambitions don’t stop there. “We’re definitely taking this beyond Nigeria. Actually, we’re going to Kenya next,” she says. “There are women everywhere who just need to feel seen. All they need is that platform, all they need is that chance, and I really believe it’s going to change the shape of the music industry for sure.”

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The launch event in Lagos drew a passionate crowd of dozens of young women — singers, producers and engineers. “It’s amazing how many people have come and supported us and even the amount of talent we have,” Tems said at the event. “Honestly, I’m blown away and I can’t wait. This is a journey we’re all taking together, and I couldn’t find a better way to start.”

Her vision for Leading Vibe is deeply personal. She remembers hustling from studio to studio, trying to find allies in a male-dominated industry. Gatekeepers only began to pay attention once her music achieved what they could not. “People started taking me seriously when my music got to a place they couldn’t fathom,” she says. “They were like, how did she do that? We didn’t give this to her.”

“Fame is not what you want,” Tems reflects. “You could be famous and uncomfortable, famous and unsuccessful. What you really want is to be comfortable, you want to be able to provide [for yourself] and fame is not always that.”

“So, I think it’s very important for you to define who you are, because if you don’t, other people will,” she adds

By building a movement for women across Africa and beyond, Tems’ most significant legacy may not be the music she creates, but the doors she opens for others. (CNN)

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