Tems (Real name: Temilade Openiyi, born: 11 June 1995; Age: 28 years old) is a Grammy Award-winning singer from Lagos, Nigeria. She has her thriving music career to thank for an estimated net worth of $1 million, making her one of the richest Nigerian female musicians.
Tems’ sphere of influence in the Nigerian music industry cannot go unnoticed as she has turned herself into a pacesetter with the record-breaking song Essence which she did with Wizkid. She is also credited for songs such as Damages, and Free Mind. More into her fame, she is notable for writing Lift Me Up which was recorded by Rihanna for the “Wakanda Forever” Marvel film. This led to her becoming the first Nigerian to be nominated for an Academy Award.
Summary of Tems’ Bio
- Full Name: Témìládè Openiyi
- Nickname: Tems, The Lioness
- Gender: Female
- Date of birth: 11 June 1995
- Tems’ Age: 28 years old
- Ethnicity: Yoruba
- Nationality: Nigerian
- Zodiac Sign: Gemini
- Religion: Christianity
- Education: Dowen College, Lagos; Monash South Africa university in Johannesburg, South Africa
- Marital Status: Single
- Siblings: Teju Paul (brother)
- Tems’ Height in Inches: 5 feet 9 inches
- Her Height in Centimetres: 175.2 Cm
- Tems’ Net worth: $1 million (estimated)
- Famous for: Music
- Tems’ Instagram: @temsbaby
- Twitter: @temsbaby
- Facebook: Tems
What is Tems’ Real Name?
Tems’ real name is Temilade Openiyi. Her first name, Temilade which is originally spelled Témìládè in Yoruba orthography means “mine is the crown”. She was given the name by her mother and it is safe to say that perhaps the singer’s mother knew she was born to be great and to bring back the crown of glory home through music.
This assumption is based on the concept of naming among Yoruba people who believe that names are spiritually inclined and they possess the ability to predict a child’s path in life.
Where is Tems From?
The 28-year-old unique singer was born in Lagos State, Nigeria. Although there are suggestions that she is originally from the state, there are other reports claiming that she is originally from Oyo State.
While this report has not been confirmed at the time of this writing, what remains certain is that she hails from the Southwestern region of Nigeria. She also belongs to one of the most famous ethnic groups in Africa, Yoruba, which is mostly found in West Africa. Other speakers of the language can be found in Brazil among several other countries.
How Old is Tems?
The singer is currently 28 years old and was born on 11 June 1995 in Lagos State. She has an older brother, Tunji Paul and together they started their early lives in Nigeria before they later relocated to King’s Cross in London shortly after Tems’ birth.
At about the time she was 4 years old, Tems, Tunji, and their mother relocated back to Nigeria after her parents divorced. Back in Lagos, she continued with her life, mostly as a child who would bury her head in books as she was keen to learn.
As much as she was interested in academics, she fell in love with music. She and her older brother would then create songs and perform for themselves. This marked the beginning of an interesting journey into one of the biggest entertainment industries.
What to Know About Tems’ Education
The Free Mind singer attended different schools. Since she led her early life in England until she was 4, it is safe to say that perhaps Tems started her elementary school in the country before she continued and obtained a first leaving certificate in Lagos.
For her secondary education, she attended Dowen College, one of the most expensive schools in Nigeria. Following that, she went to Monash South Africa university in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2016 at the age of 21. There, she studied Economics.
Tems’ Career Timeline and How She Became Famous
She was a Digital Marketer Before She Became a Professional Musician
While Tems may have fallen in love with music early and even took music lessons, she joined the corporate world after she graduated from the University. The singer then worked as a digital marketer.
Along the line, she realized that the job was too monotonous and it wasn’t really what she wanted for herself. As a result, she quit the job sometime in 2018, just six months after she started. She took this risk even without being certain of what the music world had for her. However, as the years passed, it became evident that it was all worth it.
She Produced Her First Song, Mr. Rebel, in 2018
Tems learned music production on YouTube when she was a university student. She then recorded her first single, Mr. Rebel, self-produced it, and released it on July 18, 2018.
The song which is known for its great lyrical content that projects strength and resistance became an interesting foundation for Tems.
A year later, preciselyon 7 August 2019, she released another song, Try Me. The song further exposed her to fame and it also led famous DJ Edu to list her as one of the 10 artists to watch out for in 2020.
The same year, she released her debut extended play (EP) titled “For Broken Ears” which she primarily produced. Also, leading Nigerian producer Akano “Spax” Samuel contributed immensely to the production of the EP.
Other producers who worked on the EP are Omeiza, Tejiri, and Akpoghene. The 7-track EP has received critical acclaim. While there is no certainty regarding how much she may have earned from the successful EP, it sure has contributed to her growth with respect to fame.
It peaked at number 28 on Billboard US Independent Albums among other nods it has received over the years.
Essence Was Her Breakthrough Song
While Tems may have recorded several songs and gained public attention, Essence, a song by Wizkid that features her was what marked her breakthrough in the music industry. The song was released on 30 October 2020 as part of Wizkid’s “Made in Lagos” album. The song became the first Nigerian song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard Global 200.
She also worked alongside Justin Bieber on the remix of the song which was released on 13 August 2021. Apart from winning more than 10 awards and making it to good positions on different charts, it has also contributed to her $1 million net worth. The song was certified double Platinum with 160,000 certification units in Canada.
More so, it received Gold certification in New Zealand, Platinum in the United Kingdom, and triple Platinum in the United States. In 2022, the song received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Global Music Performance. It also became the first time Tems was nominated for Grammys. The same year, she won a BET Award for Best Collaboration. Tems gained instant international stardom following the release of the song.
In 2021, she was featured in another hit song, Fountain by Canadian musician, Drake.
Tems’ Songs
- No Woman, No Cry (with Marvel for Wakanda Forever, 2022)
- Wait for U (featured by Future with Drake, 2022)
- Move (featured by Beyonce with Grace Jones (2022))
- Vibe Out (2021)
- Crazy Tings (2021)
- Found Ft. Brent Faiyaz (2021)
- Replay (2021)
- Avoid Things (2021)
- Fountains (featured by Drake) (2021)
- Essence (featured by Wizkid, 2021)
- Interference (2020)
- Ice T (2020)
- Free Mind (2020)
- Témìládè Interlude (2020)
- Higher (2020)
- Damages (2020)
- Know Your Worth (featured by Kalid and Disclosure with Davido, 2020)
- The Key (2020)
- These Days (2020)
- Looku Looku (2019)
- Try Me (2019)
- Mr Rebel (2018)
Tems Awards and Nominations
Tems has received over 80 award nominations for her different contributions to the music industry. In 2022, she received her first Grammy Awards nomination for Essence with Wizkid.
Also, in 2023, she received 3 other Grammy nominations in the categories of Album of the Year, Best Rap Song, and Best Melodic Rap Performance.
Furthermore, in 2023, she became the first Nigerian to be nominated for an Academy Award. She gained this nomination in the category of Best Original Song for her writing contribution to Lift Me Up which was performed by American singer Rihanna for Wakanda Forever.
Here are some of her awards and nominations
- She was nominated for Best Original Song by Academy Awards (2023)
- Grammy Awards has nominated Tems 4x (2022 and 2023). She received her first Grammy Award in 2023 for the Best Melodic Rap Performance category.
- Tems has a Black Reel Awards nomination for Outstanding Original Song (2023)
- Tems has received 11 The Headies Award nominations and has won in 5 categories for Song of the Year, Best R&B Single, Best Collaboration, Best R&B Album, and Best Female Artist (2022)
- BMI London Awards has awarded her for Impact Award and Most Performed Songs (2022)
- She received a Gloden Globe Awards nominations for Best Original Song (2022)
- Tems has received 4 American Music Awards and has won in 2 categories – Favourite Hip-Hop Song and Favorite R&B Song (2022)
- The 28 years old singer has been nominated 4 times by BET Awards and has won in 2 categories – Best International Act and Best Collaboration (2022)
- She has 3 BET Hip Hop Awards nominations and has won in Best Collaboration category (2022)
- Tems has received about 8 nominations from African Entertainment Awards USA and has won 4 – Best Female Artist, Best Collaboration, Best Video, and Song of the Year (2021)
- The Lagos State-born musician received the Afro X Digitals Awards for Pop Song of the Year (2021)
- She has received 7 All Africa Music Award nominations and has won in the categories of Best African Collaboration and Song of the Year (2021)
- She has received 3 awards NET Honors Award nominations and won in Most Played Alternative Song (2021)
Tems’ Net Worth
The Lift Me Up songwriter has an estimated net worth of $1 million. This is the most popular opinion on the internet even though some sources claim that she may be worth as low as $200,000 and as high as $5 million.
Since she has not given any insight into her earnings, this estimation has been made based on her career breakthrough. She earns mostly from music. Also, like many other famous people, she earns from endorsement deals.
Her rise in her music career after she worked in a corporate organization has earlier been spelled out. Yet, there is no denying that it makes a huge impact on her $1 million estimated net worth. Here are other ways Tems has gathered her wealth.
She Earns From Performances
The interesting musician earns from live performances and shows. Although the exact amount she makes per show is uncertain, there are internet suggestions that she may be making at least $150,000 which is translated to about ₦69 million.
More so, she earns from the sales of ticket for her concerts and tours. From what we know, the Yoruba native has graced stages across the globe. Some of her most notable performances are in London when she performed alongside Wizkid at the O2 Arena in the UK.
Also, in 2021, she performed a “Tems Live In Concert” where other artists such as Ladipoe and Victony also performed. In 2022, she performed at the Global Citizens Festival as well as had another live performance at Coke Studio.
In recent times, the singer has become one of the most outstanding performers in Nigeria and her career has landed her spaces in different countries. This is definitely a major contributor to her $1 million net worth.
Tems Earns from Streaming Platforms
Streaming platforms are are one of the avenues through which Tems make her wealth. She has used most of these platforms right from the inception of her professional career in 2018.
Although her songs have been streamed on several streaming platforms, here are the top 3 that have added to her fortune.
1. YouTube
The Crazy Tings singer joined YouTube in 2018 and has since gathered over 566 thousand subscribers. With respect to how much she may have earned from the platform, reports have it that YouTube pays between $2 and $12 per 1,000 views.
This view is dependent on the adverts watched by viewers. More so, the cost per thousand views (CPM) can also range from $4 and $24 depending on one’s region and industry. Putting this in mind with respect to Tems’ earnings, the musician has become a global force to be reckoned with.
As such, her viewers can be found in different regions. Calculating her YouTube earnings based on the lowest amount reported ($2) per 1,000 views, Tems has likely recorded about 193 million views. Hence, she may have made about $386,000 from the platform.
2. Audiomac
Tems earns from Audiomac – a streaming platform that allows singers to get paid for their music. The singer has more than 516 thousand followers on the platform and has generated no fewer than 79,000 total plays. More so, she has over 263,000 monthly listeners.
Based on several reports, the platform pays about $10 per 5,000 streams. This payment is done on monthly basis. Since Teams has recorded over 263,000 monthly listeners at the time of this writing, it is safe to say she makes about $2,600 monthly.
3. Spotify
This famous music streaming platform is also used by Tems. The platform, according to sources, pays about $0.003 – $0.005 per stream. This would then amount to $3 to $5 per 1,000 streams.
Tems has an average of 13.7 million listeners monthly. This then equates to about $137,000 in revenue from the platform.
How Endorsement Deals Have Contributed to Tems’ Wealth
Endorsements have contributed to Tems’ net worth. In 2022, she was signed to the footwear and apparel brand, Reebok. The same year, she got signed by another international apparel, Tommy Jeans.
Also, she joined several other international artists to become an ambassador for Coca-Cola. She also partners with Universal Music Group with the aim of creating a bigger platform for African music and talents.
What is Tems Height?
Tems revealed that she is 5 feet 9 inches tall which translates to 175.2 cm. This height contradicts the popular report on the internet that the singer cum songwriter could be 5 feet 4 inches tall.
With this height, Tems is about 7.7 inches taller than average Nigerian woman whose heights are listed at 5 feet 1.3 inches tall. Also, she is about 4 inches taller than an average Nigerian man since Nigerian men’s height is recorded as 5 feet 5 inches on average.
Looking at her other body measurements, the singer is known for her curvy nature. Her body could best be described as pear-shaped as her hips are wider than her bust.
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