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Tems
The smoky-voiced Lagos artist whose deep alto became one of the defining sounds of global Afrobeats.
The rise
Born Temilade Openiyi in Lagos, she emerged as an independent self-producing artist around 2018-2019, then exploded onto the world stage with her feature on Wizkid's 'Essence' (2020).
What they did
She became the first Nigerian woman to win a Grammy, sharing Best Melodic Rap Performance for 'Wait for U' with Future and Drake (2023), won Best African Music Performance for 'Love Me JeJe' (2025), wrote for Beyonce and Rihanna, and released her acclaimed debut album Born in the Wild (2024).
The full picture
Her path was not frictionless: in 2020 she was briefly detained in Uganda over a COVID-era concert, and her insistence on creative control and slow, deliberate output has at times put her at odds with an industry hungry for constant releases.
Why it matters
Tems redefined what a Nigerian woman could be in Afrobeats, an auteur who writes and produces her own work, proving African female artistry could lead rather than feature.
“"I never wanted to just be a singer. I wanted to create worlds."”