Grammy-winning Nigerian singer and songwriter Tems recently opened up about her remarkable journey to stardom, revealing that her current achievements have far surpassed anything she imagined while working a corporate 9-5 job.
During an engaging Q&A session with fans on X (formerly Twitter), the “Burning” hitmaker discussed her career path and future goals.
When a fan asked, “What are you currently looking forward to? Also would you say you’ve achieved all of your dreams prior to stardom?” Tems shared insights into her transformative journey.
Temilade Openiyi, professionally known as Tems, made the bold decision to leave her digital marketing job in 2018 to fully dedicate herself to music a choice that came with uncertainty but ultimately became the turning point of her career.
Her major breakthrough came in 2020 when she featured on Wizkid’s hit “Essence,” later joining Justin Bieber on the remix. The song climbed to No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming one of the highest-charting tracks by a Nigerian artist and introducing Tems to a global audience.
Since then, Tems has broken numerous barriers for African music internationally. In 2023, she made history as the first female Afrobeats artist to win a Grammy, earning the Best Melodic Rap Performance award for her collaboration on Future’s “Wait for U,” which prominently features her vocals.
Her impact continued at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards in 2024, where she won the first-ever Best African Music Performance award for her solo track “Born in the Wild,” further cementing Afrobeats’ influence on the global music scene.