Yesterday evening, Tems made history by becoming the first ever Nigerian female artist to win a Grammy for her contribution to the hit single ‘Wait for U’ by Future.
The singer became the first female artist from the Nigerian music industry to win a Grammy. The news of her victory is being celebrated across the world, not just for her talent, but for pushing forward African music to the world’s stage.
Tems has become a global icon for her soulful renditions and unique sound and it comes as no surprise that she is positively impacting music lovers around the world. Despite her skyrocketing success, there are still many unknown facts about the artist that will leave you in awe.
Here are three things you didn’t know about Tems:
She is half British
Many people don’t know this, but Temitope Openiyi is actually of British descent.
Tems was born in Lagos, Nigeria, to a Nigerian mother and a British-Nigerian father; she moved from Nigeria shortly after birth to the UK before returning at age 5, after her parents divorced.
Tems, like any other British person, enjoys tea; her favourite is Orange and Spice.
She’s been in the music scene for long
Tems has been making music since she was just seven-years-old, when she began playing the role of a drummer in her local church band. Next, her musical career morphed into something a little more ‘pop’ with her learning the piano at the age of 12. Adding to her hobbies and passions, she has also had a keen interest in art and painting – sketching powerful pictures of black women in the process.
She’s a giver
Tems has also done her fair-share of charity work in Nigeria, including working with the Kiff Kiff Programme, an initiative dedicated to helping schools and children in Delta State. She also donated to a school in the area in 2019, showing her dedication to making life for Nigerian’s that little bit brighter.
Adding to these facts, Tems also loves to surprise her loyal fans with charitable gifts such as school supplies, giving back to the community that’s been there for her since the beginning.
Tems is our music queen, and there’s no denying that her Grammy win has made us all feel just that little bit more loved that we were before.
