Celebrating Tems Grammy Award 

Afrobeats received a new global acclaim recently when sensational Nigerian singer and songwriter, Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, won the Best African Music Performance category at the 67th Grammy Awards held in Los Angeles, United States, for her song “Love Me Jeje.” Tems emerged victorious from star-studded nominees and songs that included “Tomorrow” by Yemi Alade, “MMS” by Asake featuring Wizkid, “Sensational” by Chris Brown featuring Davido and Lojay, and “Higher” by Burna Boy. It was her second Grammy award, the first being in 2023 in collaboration with Drake in “Wait for U.”

She also received two other nominations at this year’s Grammys for Best Global Music Album (Born in the Wild) and Best R&B Song (Burning). This is an affirmation of Tems’ diversity as a musician. The three Grammy nominations received by Tems this year bring her career total to eight. This is quite impressive, considering that she only came into international limelight in 2020 following a feature by Wizkid in his “Essence” song, which broke new grounds in the global music industry. It was rated by Rolling Stone for reshaping “the sound and texture of pop music”. 

The Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance is an award presented by the Recording Academy to honour quality African music performances in any given year. The American Academy, who organises the awards, the new category crested in June, 2023, “recognises recordings that utilise unique local expressions from across the African continent, highlighting regional melodic, harmonic and rhythmic musical traditions.” The maiden edition of the prize was won by South Africa’s Tyla. 

Grammy Award is considered the most prestigious award in the global music industry, signifying exceptional achievement and a mark of artistic excellence recognised by peers in the industry. Winners are voted by members of the music industry filled with qualities. It is expected that the latest award by Tem can significantly boost her career by increasing visibility, credibility, and commercial appeal. Research shows that winners of Grammy awards have recorded increased record sales, concert bookings, endorsement deals, and broader global recognition for the artists. We congratulate Tems on her Grammy feat and urge her to do more. Tems has taken a big step to solidifying her place in music history. 

Her victory will inspire young creatives in Nigeria to take their talents seriously. As the world becomes a global village, talented Nigerian artists have a wider audience to showcase their creativity with the possibility of winning laurels and recognitions overseas. In the last decade, African musicians and artists have boosted the continent’s global influence in pop music and shaping dance trends. The music industry has created cultural entrepreneurs who are creating jobs for Africa’s youths and contributing to economic growth with little or no support from the government. 

It is remarkable that Tems only started music in 2018 after quitting her job in digital marketing to pursue a career in music and began to learn self production skills on YouTube. In the same year,  she produced her first single, “Mr Rebel”. She also produced her second single, “Try Me”. Her first studio album, Born in the Wild, came out in 2024. In just seven years, Tems has done well for herself as a super star, contributing to the global Afrobeats success story. 

In 2022, Afrobeats artists were streamed over thirteen billion times on Spotify. Also, revenue from the music industry in Sub-Saharan Africa grew by 24 percent in 2023, the fastest growth globally. Music streaming revenues in Africa are expected to increase from $92.9 million in 2021 to $314.6 million by 2026. Nigeria musicians have contributed immensely to reshaping global perception about the country. From a country taunted as a haven for fraudsters, Nigerian musicians have, through Afrobeats, popularised Nigerian culture, fashion, cuisines, languages and dances.

The federal government should show more interest in supporting the Nigerian music industry. Currently, the music industry is majorly individually driven. There is a need to have a music academy in Nigeria, where budding musicians will be exposed to the best training facilities and learn how to promote and market their works. The success of the maiden edition of Detty December in Lagos is proof that music and tourism can fuel Nigeria’s economy. 

Lagos State Government disclosed that it generated over $71.6 million in revenue across tourism, hospitality, and entertainment sectors in December, 2024 session. Hotels alone accounted for over $44 million, while short-let apartments contributed over $13 million. Detty December attracted locals and members of the Nigerian diaspora, as well as international tourists who were eager to experience Nigerian arts and culture. Tems and other Nigerian artists making waves globally should be encouraged.