Tems Says She Has Surpassed Her Early Career Dreams

Nigerian singer Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, says she has achieved far more in her music career than she initially imagined. The Grammy-winning artist shared the reflection during an interactive session with fans on X.

Responding to a fan who asked what she is currently looking forward to and whether she has fulfilled her pre-stardom goals, Tems said her accomplishments have exceeded her expectations.

“I’m looking forward to whatever the Lord has in store, and honestly I’ve achieved beyond my dreams from when I had a 9-5,” she wrote.

Tems began her music career after resigning from her job as a digital marketer in January 2018. She gained early recognition with the release of her debut single, Mr Rebel, later that year.

Her breakthrough came in 2020 after featuring on Wizkid’s global hit Essence, which peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 following the release of a remix featuring Justin Bieber.

In 2023, Tems made history as the first female Afrobeats artist to win a Grammy after collaborating with Future and Drake on Wait For U, which won Best Melodic Rap Performance.

She added to her achievements in 2025 by winning the Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance, becoming the only Nigerian artist with multiple Grammy wins.