Tems is one of the most recognizable Nigerian artists to emerge from the modern Afrobeats and African music scene. Known for her deep, soulful voice, thoughtful songwriting and distinctive sound, she has built an international career that reaches far beyond Nigeria.
From her early days as an independent artist to major collaborations with Wizkid, Drake, Future, Beyoncé and Rihanna, Tems has steadily developed into a respected singer, songwriter and record producer. Her career also includes Grammy wins, major award nominations and a successful debut studio album.
But who is Tems? What is her real name? How old is she? Where is she from, and what are her most popular songs? This biography answers those questions while looking at her family background, education, career, awards and estimated net worth.
Tems Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Temilade Openiyi |
| Stage name | Tems |
| Date of birth | June 11, 1995 |
| Age | 31 years old in 2026 |
| Place of birth | Lagos, Nigeria |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| Profession | Singer, songwriter and record producer |
| Main genres | Afrobeats, R&B, soul and alternative music |
| Breakthrough song | “Essence” with Wizkid |
| Debut EP | For Broken Ears |
| Debut studio album | Born in the Wild |
| Grammy wins | 2 |
| Known for | “Essence,” “Free Mind,” “Try Me,” “Me & U,” “Love Me JeJe” and “Wait for U” |
What Is Tems’ Real Name?
Tems’ real name is Temilade Openiyi. She is professionally known simply as Tems.
She was born on June 11, 1995, in Lagos, Nigeria. Her name has become closely associated with a style of African music that combines elements of Afrobeats, R&B, soul and alternative sounds.
Her record label biography identifies her as Témìládè Openiyi and describes her as a Grammy Award-winning Nigerian artist whose music has attracted a global audience.
Rather than relying entirely on the traditional Afrobeats formula, Tems developed a more personal sound. Her music often emphasizes atmosphere, emotion, self-discovery and powerful vocals.
That individuality has been an important part of her appeal. She is not simply known because of the famous artists she has worked with; she has also established herself as a songwriter and creative force in her own right.
How Old Is Tems?
Tems was born on June 11, 1995, which makes her 31 years old as of September 2026.
She was born in Lagos and spent part of her childhood between Nigeria and the United Kingdom. Available biographical accounts say her family returned to Nigeria when she was young after her parents separated. She later grew up in Lagos and attended school there.
Her journey into music was not an overnight success story. Before becoming internationally famous, Tems had to develop her skills gradually and find her own artistic identity.
According to GRAMMY.com, she left a corporate job in 2018 to pursue music full-time. She had already released music independently, but that decision marked an important turning point in her career.
Tems Family and Early Life
Tems keeps much of her private life away from the public eye, so there is less reliable information about her family than there is about her music career.
What is publicly reported is that she was born in Lagos and spent some of her early childhood in the United Kingdom before returning to Nigeria. Her parents separated when she was young, and she was raised largely in Lagos.
Music was present in her childhood. She learned to play the piano and also practiced singing with her brother. These early experiences helped build the foundation for the musical career that followed.
Tems has also spoken about the personal struggles behind her artistic development. In an interview with GRAMMY.com about her album Born in the Wild, she described the idea of being “born in the wild” as a reflection of survival, personal growth and the challenges she faced while moving from ordinary employment into professional music.
Because Tems values privacy, claims about her relatives, relationships or other personal matters should be treated carefully unless they come from a reliable source or from Tems herself.
Tems Education
Tems attended Dowen College in Lagos before continuing her education in South Africa. Biographical sources report that she studied at Monash South Africa.
Her educational background is interesting because music was not initially presented as the only career option for her. Before becoming a full-time musician, she had a corporate job.
Her decision to leave that career path and concentrate on music became one of the defining moments in her story. GRAMMY.com reports that Tems quit her corporate job in 2018 to focus on making music.
This part of her biography helps explain why her career is often viewed as an example of an artist choosing a creative path despite uncertainty.
How Tems Started Her Music Career
Tems began releasing music independently before signing with a major record label.
One of her early notable releases was “Mr Rebel,” which arrived in 2018. She continued building her audience with songs such as “Try Me” and “Looku Looku.”
Her early music helped introduce listeners to her distinctive vocal style. Instead of depending on high-energy production alone, Tems often allowed her voice, melodies and lyrics to carry the emotional weight of a song.
Her first major project, the 2020 EP For Broken Ears, expanded her audience. GRAMMY.com notes that the project helped reveal the personal and introspective qualities of her music.
The project included “Free Mind,” a song that eventually became one of her most recognized solo records.
Tems’ Breakthrough With “Essence”
For many listeners around the world, Tems became a household name through Wizkid’s “Essence.”
The song appeared on Wizkid’s album Made in Lagos and featured Tems. Its relaxed production, memorable melody and chemistry between the two Nigerian artists helped make it a major international success.
“Essence” was particularly important because it helped demonstrate the global commercial potential of contemporary African music. The song later received a Grammy nomination for Best Global Music Performance.
Tems’ contribution to the song also opened doors to collaborations with some of the world’s biggest musicians.
Her growing international profile eventually led to work connected to artists such as Drake, Future, Beyoncé and Rihanna. RCA Records lists these collaborations among the major milestones of her career.
Tems and “Wait for U”
Another major milestone came through Future’s “Wait for U,” featuring Drake and Tems.
The song sampled Tems’ earlier track “Higher” and became a major Billboard Hot 100 success. More importantly for Tems’ career, “Wait for U” won the Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance in 2023.
The Recording Academy lists Future, Drake and Tems as the winners for “Wait for U,” giving Tems her first Grammy Award.
The achievement helped establish that Tems was more than a successful featured vocalist. She was becoming an internationally recognized songwriter and artist.
Tems’ Debut Album: Born in the Wild
Tems released her debut studio album, Born in the Wild, in 2024.
The album represented a new stage of her career because it gave listeners a larger picture of Tems as an artist. Instead of being known mainly through collaborations, she could present a complete body of work under her own name.
The album includes songs such as:
- “Born in the Wild”
- “Love Me JeJe”
- “Me & U”
- “Burning”
- “Free Fall”
- “Wickedest”
- “Ready”
- “Unfortunate”
- “Boy O Boy”
- “You in My Face”
GRAMMY.com describes the album as a project influenced by themes of survival, identity, personal transformation and self-acceptance.
Her record label also highlights the album’s mixture of different musical influences rather than placing Tems inside one narrow genre.
Popular Tems Songs
Tems has built a catalog that includes solo records and major collaborations. Some of her best-known songs include:
1. Essence
“Essence” with Wizkid remains one of Tems’ most important career records. It introduced her voice to a much wider international audience and earned a Grammy nomination.
2. Free Mind
“Free Mind” is one of Tems’ most recognized solo songs. Its introspective character reflects the emotional and personal side of her songwriting.
3. Try Me
“Try Me” was one of the records that helped establish Tems before her international breakthrough. It remains an important part of her early catalog.
4. Higher
“Higher” became especially significant after it was sampled on Future’s “Wait for U.” The connection between the two songs helped expose Tems’ earlier work to a much larger audience.
5. Me & U
Released as a solo single, “Me & U” showed Tems exploring spirituality, self-reflection and personal identity. The song also earned major recognition at the BET Awards.
6. Love Me JeJe
“Love Me JeJe” became one of the defining songs from Born in the Wild. The song pays tribute to Nigerian musical history by interpolating Seyi Sodimu’s 1997 song of the same name. GRAMMY.com reported that Tems’ version reached No. 1 on the UK Afrobeats chart.
7. Wait for U
“Wait for U,” with Future and Drake, became Tems’ first Grammy-winning recording through the Best Melodic Rap Performance category.
8. Lift Me Up
Tems was also involved in Rihanna’s “Lift Me Up,” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The song earned a Grammy nomination for Best Song Written for Visual Media, with Tems credited among the songwriters.
Tems Awards and Achievements
Tems has collected major recognition in both African and international music.
One of her biggest achievements is winning two Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy currently lists her with two wins and eight nominations.
Her Grammy wins are:
- 2023 — Best Melodic Rap Performance: “Wait for U” with Future and Drake
- 2025 — Best African Music Performance: “Love Me JeJe”
The 2025 victory was particularly significant because “Love Me JeJe” won in the Best African Music Performance category at the 67th Grammy Awards.
Tems has also received recognition from the BET Awards. Her song “Me & U” won the Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award at the 2024 BET Awards.
In 2024, she also received the Breakthrough Award at Billboard Women in Music.
Her awards story demonstrates how her career has moved across different parts of the global music industry rather than remaining limited to one African market.
Tems’ International Collaborations
Tems’ songwriting and vocal style have made her a sought-after collaborator.
She has worked with or contributed to projects involving:
- Wizkid
- Drake
- Future
- Beyoncé
- Rihanna
- Justin Bieber
- Seyi Sodimu and other Nigerian musical influences
RCA Records specifically highlights collaborations with Beyoncé, Drake, Future, Wizkid, Justin Bieber and Rihanna as part of her international career.
Her collaboration with Rihanna on “Lift Me Up” was particularly notable because the song was connected to the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack and received major awards recognition.
What Makes Tems’ Music Different?
One reason Tems stands out is her ability to blend different musical influences without sounding like she is simply copying one genre.
Her music can contain elements of Afrobeats, alternative music, R&B and soul. Her deep vocal tone is another recognizable part of her identity.
She also writes about subjects that are easy for listeners to relate to, including love, confidence, uncertainty, spirituality, personal growth and finding one’s identity.
This combination gives her music a different character from the more dance-focused side of Afrobeats.
Tems herself has described Born in the Wild as a story about embracing all parts of herself.
What Is Tems’ Net Worth?
Tems’ exact net worth is not publicly verified.
Several entertainment websites publish estimates, but these figures vary considerably. For example, Celebrity Net Worth currently estimates her wealth at approximately $10 million, while other publications give lower or different figures.
For that reason, it is more accurate to describe Tems’ net worth as an estimate rather than a confirmed figure.
Her potential sources of income include music royalties, streaming, songwriting, live performances, record sales and commercial partnerships. As a songwriter and producer as well as a performer, Tems can potentially earn from several areas of the music business.
Her international success, award wins and collaborations have also increased the commercial value of her catalog.
Readers should be cautious of websites presenting a precise Tems net worth figure as confirmed financial information. Unless Tems or her representatives publish audited financial details, there is no reliable public figure that can be treated as definitive.
Tems’ Personal Life
Tems is known for maintaining a relatively private personal life.
Although fans frequently search for information about her boyfriend, husband, marriage and family, she has generally kept these areas away from the same level of public attention given to her music.
This is worth emphasizing because celebrity biographies sometimes repeat rumors as facts. A professional biography should distinguish between confirmed information and online speculation.
Her public career, however, is well documented. Her music releases, Grammy records and major collaborations provide substantial evidence of her development as an artist.
Why Tems Is Important to African Music
Tems’ career represents a broader change in how African music reaches international audiences.
Artists from Nigeria and other African countries have increasingly become central figures in global popular music. Tems has played an important role in that movement by combining Nigerian musical influences with sounds that connect with listeners around the world.
Her success with “Essence,” “Wait for U” and “Love Me JeJe” shows how a Nigerian artist can move between African music, R&B, hip-hop and global pop without losing a strong sense of identity.
Her Grammy wins have also given her career an important place in Nigerian music history. The Recording Academy records two Grammy victories for Tems through the 2025 awards cycle.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tems
What is Tems’ real name?
Tems’ real name is Temilade Openiyi.
How old is Tems?
Tems was born on June 11, 1995. She is 31 years old as of September 2026.
Where is Tems from?
Tems is from Lagos, Nigeria.
What is Tems famous for?
Tems is famous for songs such as “Essence,” “Free Mind,” “Try Me,” “Me & U” and “Love Me JeJe,” as well as collaborations including “Wait for U” with Future and Drake.
How many Grammys has Tems won?
Tems has won two Grammy Awards. Her wins are for “Wait for U” in 2023 and “Love Me JeJe” in 2025.
What is Tems’ debut album?
Tems’ debut studio album is Born in the Wild, released in 2024.
Is Tems married?
There is no reliable public confirmation that Tems is married. She generally keeps her romantic and family life private.
What is Tems’ net worth?
Tems’ net worth is not officially disclosed. Public estimates vary, with some current entertainment publications placing it around $10 million, but this should be treated as an estimate rather than verified financial information.