The Unstoppable Tems: A Digital Marketer Turned Grammy-Winner

Seven years after she quit that job as a digital marketer, Tems won her second Grammy for the 2025 Best African Music Performance award. In a relatively short span of her career, she has become one of the most influential figures in the global music scene, propelling Afrobeats into international acclaim. But how did Tems go from working in marketing to winning the prestigious Grammy Award?

Early Life and Career Shift

Growing up in a modest Nigerian household, Tems found solace in music. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Temilade Openiyi, first discovered her vocal talent in a local choir and nurtured her passion by recording songs with her school choir and experimenting with her brother’s guitar. Before fully immersing herself in the music industry, Tems worked as a digital marketer, who was demoted to the position of a personal assistant, but quit her job in 2018 to focus on music, and began to learn self production skills on YouTube.

The Rise To Stardom

Tems released her first single Mr Rebel in 2018, a song which she produced by herself. Following the release of her breakout single Mr. Rebel, which amassed over 200,000 views on YouTube, she quickly became a standout name in the Nigerian alternative music scene. Her breakthrough came in 2019 with the hit single Try Me, a song that resonated with millions and cemented her as a rising force in the industry.

In 2020, Tems made waves on the global music scene with her collaboration on “Know Your Worth,” a powerful and uplifting track alongside American superstar DJ Khalid, Nigerian icon Davido, and British electronic duo Disclosure. Before this breakout moment, Tems earned two nominations for herself at the 2019 Headies, Best Vocal Performance (Female) and Best Alternative Song for her song Mr Rebel.

As her career continued to soar, Tems collaborated with several high-profile artists, including Future, Drake, and Beyoncé, marking her position as a key player in the international music scene. Her collaboration with Drake on Fair Trade from his 2021 album Certified Lover Boy took her further into the global spotlight. These collaborations, combined with her own musical output, cemented her as a prominent Afrobeats ambassador.

Grammys & Other Awards

In 2023, Tems won her first Grammy for Wait for U, becoming the first female Nigerian artist to do so. She also won the Female MVP at the Soundcity MVP Awards and became the first female Afrobeats artist to attend the Met Gala.

Her song, Me & U, won Outstanding International Song at the NAACP Image Awards.

In 2024, Tems received the Breakthrough Award at the Billboard Women in Music Awards, the first African artist to do so. Her debut album, Born in the Wild, earned three Grammy nominations, and she won Best African Music Performance for Love Me JeJe at 2025 Grammys.

Reflecting on the Journey: From Naivety to Stardom

In December 2024, Tems took time to reflect on her career, acknowledging the challenges she faced in the early stages of her journey. She confessed that she was “naive” when she started out, unaware of the complexities of the music business. However, her growth, both professionally and personally, has been immense.

Tems’ reflection underscores an important message: the path to success is not always straightforward. Her story is a powerful example of how staying true to one’s passion and putting in the hard work can pay off, even if it takes longer than expected. For her, every obstacle, every challenge, has only served to strengthen her resolve and bring her closer to realizing her dreams.

Conclusion: A Legacy in the Making

Tems’ rise from a digital marketer to a Grammy-winning artist is a story of ambition, resilience, and artistic expression. Through her dedication to her craft and her ability to stay authentic, she has become a trailblazer not just in Afrobeats, but in the global music industry. As she continues to make waves, her journey will undoubtedly inspire future generations of artists, particularly those who come from diverse backgrounds and industries, to believe in their dreams.

For Tems, this is just the beginning. The world is watching, and the best is yet to come.