Nigerian music star Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, secures her second Grammy Award at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards in 2025. She wins the Best African Music Performance category for her hit song Love Me JeJe.
In an emotional acceptance speech, Tems expresses deep gratitude for her journey and the people who have supported her along the way.
“Dear God, thank you for bringing me this far and blessing me with an amazing team. Tomorrow is my mum’s birthday, and this is her first time at the Grammys. Mum, I appreciate everything you’ve done for me and my brother. To my team, thank you for believing in me. Above all, to God be the glory—this journey has been life-changing. Thank you so much.”
Tems first gained Grammy recognition in 2023 when she won Best Melodic Rap Performance for her feature on Future’s Wait for You, alongside Drake. Her latest win comes in a highly competitive category featuring Yemi Alade’s Tomorrow, Asake and Wizkid’s MMS, Chris Brown’s Sensational with Davido and Lojay, and Burna Boy’s Higher.
Tems gained international attention in 2020 after featuring on Wizkid’s chart-topping single Essence. The song’s remix, featuring Justin Bieber, became a global hit, reaching No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earning her a Grammy nomination. That same year, she collaborated with Drake on Fountains, solidifying her global music presence.
Her debut EP, For Broken Ears (2020), introduced her unique alte sound, followed by If Orange Was a Place (2021) after signing with RCA Records. In 2022, Future sampled her song Higher for Wait for U, which featured Drake. The track debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, making Tems the first African artist to achieve this milestone. The song later won Best Melodic Rap Performance at the 2023 Grammy Awards, marking her first win.
Tems continues to make waves globally. She covered Bob Marley’s No Woman, No Cry for the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack and co-wrote Rihanna’s Lift Me Up, earning Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Grammy nominations. Her song Free Mind became a record-breaking hit on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart.
In 2024, she released her debut studio album Born in the Wild to critical acclaim. The album charted in multiple countries, including the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, and led to a global Born in the Wild tour.
At this year’s Grammys, Tems receives three nominations: Best African Music Performance (Love Me JeJe), Best R&B Song (Burning), and Best Global Music Album (Born in the Wild).
With two Grammy wins and multiple accolades—including BET, NAACP Image, and Soul Train Music Awards—Tems continues to solidify her status as one of Africa’s most influential global artists.
