Tems

A rising star in Nigeria’s alté (meaning “alternative”) scene, singer-songwriter Tems broke through in 2018 with her single “Mr Rebel.”

• Born in Nigeria, Tems studied piano as a kid and would also sing with her brother, who played guitar. Using her mother’s poem book, she created her first song when she was six.
• In 2018, she quit her marketing job and released the single “Mr Rebel.” The song blew up and earned Tems two nominations at the Nigerian awards show The Headies: Best Vocal Performance and Best Alternative Song.
• She scored another streaming hit in 2019 with the single “Try Me.”
• In 2020, she joined fellow Nigerian artist Davido on the Afrobeats remix of Khalid’s “Know Your Worth.” That same year, Tems released her debut EP, For Broken Ears.