Tems, a 28-year-old Nigerian singer-songwriter, has made waves internationally, becoming the first African artist to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, featuring on Beyoncé’s “Renaissance,” and earning an Oscar nomination for “Lift Me Up” from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Now, several years after she first came to the limelight in Essence, 2020’s summer-defining track by Afrobeats legend Wizkid, she is finally ready to be her own boss. On June 7, she will release her debut album titled “Born in the Wild”. The first single off the album, “Love Me Jeje,” is already a guaranteed hit, and it’s left her fans yearning for more. Tems is part of a broader trend of African artists, including Burna Boy and Tyla, breaking into the Western mainstream. Her prolific rise exemplifies the growing influence of African music and its ability to shape narratives about the continent.
SOURCE: NEW YORK TIMES
