12 THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT GRAMMY AWARDS WINNING TEMS
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By Adeniyi Onaara
When Tems and WizKid collaborated on ‘Essence,’ the song catapulted the Nigerian singer to unexpected stardom. Tems’ global breakthrough proved explosive, leaving everyone wondering – who is the songstress behind the lush, warm vocals we’ve been singing along to all summer? Despite having already cultivated a following within the alté scene with 2018’s ‘Mr Rebel’ and following single ‘Try Me,’ Tems’ global breakthrough proved explosive, leaving everyone wondering – who is the songstress behind the lush, warm vocals we’ve been singing along to all summer?
Tems wasn’t about to let her rise falter, releasing ‘For Broken Ears’ and ‘If Orange Was A Place’ within a year of each other. At first listen, one can hear a journey that spans both EPs, an emotional growth that rises above broken relationships and finds peace within itself.
Témládè Openiyi carries herself with ease as she steps further into the spotlight, revealing her multi-dimensional spirit.
- Tems includes her mother’s voice on ‘Témládè Interlude’ on her debut EP. The song tells the story of Tems’ mother’s unshakeable maternal instinct, which assured her that her daughter would be named Témládè Openiyi.
- She was born in Nigeria to a Nigerian mother and a British-Nigerian father, and her family moved to England for the first three years of her life before returning to Nigeria. The 26-year-old joined WizKid on his O2 Arena Tour earlier this month before selling out both of her solo London shows.
- As a child, Tems found refuge in the music room, where she experimented with the freestyle form, which she still uses in her creative process today. Outside of school, Tems would perform mini-concerts in her brother’s room, immersing her own sound and voice in a wide range of musical inclinations, from OutKast to Kate Nash, Green Day, and Lauryn Hill.
- At the age of 17, Tems began to pursue music, putting aside her concerns about her voice not being ‘feminine’ enough. She joined the choir and began learning to play the piano around this time.
- Tems also wrote her first official song at this age, which was inspired by Sunday mornings. Tems developed an interest in poetry as a six-year-old and would incorporate song-like elements into her writing.
- Despite her attempts to avoid continuing her education by ignoring emails and missing enrolment deadlines behind her mother’s back, Tems went on to study Economics in South Africa.
- Until her latest EP, the talented rising star mostly produced her own beats. At the beginning of her career, she struggled with artistic differences between herself and producers, as well as financial constraints, which encouraged her to pursue the autonomous path of self-production.
- Tems’ favorite tea is Orange and Spice, a blend of bright zest and warm, cinnamon notes, which corresponds to the title of her most recent project.
- With co-signs from Rihanna and Drake, Tems is your favorite artist’s favorite artist in 2021. In fact, it was Adele who steered Drake’s attention towards the Nigerian vocalist, which then landed her a spot on the rap icon’s sixth studio album, ‘Certified Lover Boy’.
- Tems’ favorite place to watch the sunset is Ghana. The artwork for ‘If Orange Was A Place’ is inspired by nature and is meant to resemble the warm tones of a sunset.
- Tems is no stranger to anime, citing ‘Attack on Titan,’ ‘Darker Than Black,’ and ‘Demon Slayer’ as recent favorites.
- Tems spent two days in Ugandan prison after performing at a concert that, unknowingly, violated COVID-19 guidelines last December. Despite the extreme circumstances, the humble singer says the experience gave her a new perspective on life, giving her a greater appreciation for the love around her.
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