Grammy-winning Nigerian singer and global sensation, Temilade Openiyi, professionally known as Tems, has opened up about the bold decision that changed the course of her life, leaving a stable job in digital marketing to follow her musical calling.
The soulful artist, whose latest hit ‘Love Me Jeje’ earned her a Grammy Award this year for Best African Music Performance, shared her emotional journey in a recent interview with Billboard. According to Tems, her transition from corporate life to creative freedom wasn’t without its share of fear and uncertainty but it was guided by a deeper, spiritual conviction.
“[I quit my digital marketing job because] it got to a point where I couldn’t take it anymore. It was really dawning on me like, it’s now or never. I was just putting it off until I developed faith that God will see me through wherever I go,” she revealed.
Tems took the leap of faith in January 2018, quitting her job despite having no immediate release plans. It took about six to seven months before she dropped her debut single, ‘Mr Rebel,’ a raw, alternative R&B track that introduced her hauntingly rich voice to the Nigerian music scene. While the song didn’t top the charts, it resonated with a niche audience and marked the beginning of her meteoric rise.
“I quit my job in January 2018, I released ‘Mr Rabel’ six or seven months after I quit my job. Spiritually, I was aware that digital marketing wasn’t my path, I need to leave this place right now. It felt really like life or death. It was like this can make or break your destiny, and you need to make a decision right now. I chose to quit and it worked out,” she said. And worked out, it certainly did.
Tems became a household name following her unforgettable feature on Wizkid’s 2020 global smash ‘Essence’, which climbed to No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and became an anthem for Afrobeats worldwide. But she didn’t stop there.
In 2022, Tems made history by becoming the first African artist to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Wait 4 U’ — a collaboration with American rapper Future and Drake. The song not only topped charts but also bagged the Grammy for Best Melodic Rap Performance the following year.
From quietly quitting a digital marketing job in Lagos to performing on global stages and rewriting African music history, Tems’ journey is a testament to the power of intuition, faith, and fearless decision-making.
And for her, it all began with a simple yet life-altering choice, to believe in her destiny.
