Rebel gang leader, Temilade Openiyi, better known as Tems has emeregd as the first Nigerian recording artiste in history to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Her recent achievement is coming following her collaboration with international rappers Drake and Future on the song ‘Wait For U;’ which appears on Future’s LP album ‘I Never Liked You.’
The single ‘Wait for U’ debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 – Future’s second, Drake’s tenth; and Tems’ first.
Equally, in 2021, Tems’ collaboration with Wizkid earned her a Billboard Top 10 hit. With ‘Essence,’ Wizkid became the first African musician to have a song in the Top 10 Billboard chart as a lead artist, and Tems’ first Top 10 hit.
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In mid-2019, leader of the Rebel Gang Tems @temsbaby hypnotized audience with her breakthrough single, ‘Try Me’. A single that discusses the polarization of society; the 3-minutes track connected with the average Nigerian youth within minutes of listening.
Tems did not stop there, she went on to release two EPs, For Broken Ears (2020) and If Orange Was A Place (2021); both projects did well to pronounce her skillset, excellence and professionalism to the world.
Indeed, Tems’ work on Wizkid’s ‘Essence’ put her on an international scale, albeit, it’s her mesmerizing vocals that found a way to enthrall her audience after humming into their souls.
They couldn’t get enough, this is the beginning of a new dispensation.
Tems spearheaded the burgeoning Alte genre generation. This sect also included artistes such as ShowDemCamp, Santi, Lady Donli, to name a few.
Working with Wizkid unveiled Tems to a whole new world. Her music was designed to exceed the shores of Nigeria and Africa.
Equally, the collaboration with of the 26-year-old talented recording artiste with Drake on the single, ‘Fountain’ off his 2021 project, Certified Lover Boy stretched her beyond the mundane. It was her impeccable approach on Drakes single that earned her a feature on Future’s ‘Wait For U’.
Let’s see three things that makes Tems’ music so appealing…
Originality.
Tems is a woman of her own.
She doesn’t sound like any other Nigerian artiste, she is an original entity.
She produces her own music and speaks about her own struggles and seeks her own voice in a world marred with chaos and pandemonium. In her space, she wants to free your mind.
Class Act.
Tems’ music was always designed for a mainstream audience.
It wasn’t established to be for Nigerians alone; she is an embodiment of Rihanna, Skylar Gray and any neo-soul artiste that comes to your mind.
Her sound cannot be cocooned into a basic genre, she is massive in her lyrical structure and understands the essence (no pun intended) of creating a colorful picture in her listeners medulla oblongata.
Understanding The Principle of Times and Seasons?
If Tems had arrived in 2005; would she have amassed the fanbase of today?
At a time when 2Face; D’Banj and P Square were in their respective peak, will Tems’ music feature on radio?
Oh well, we can’t say. Albeit, she is here today and she is one of the bestselling female artistes in the music industry.
Equally, Tems is a Grammy nominee, she is signed to the international record label RCA and has her own radio program, Leading Vibes… Of course, it’s here time and she is enjoying her winning season.
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