How does Tems keep winning? 42 awards might have the answer

When Tems steps on stage at the Blankets and Wines concert, she will be carrying the weight of a shelf full of trophies that tell her story. 

From clinching a Grammy to landing an Oscar nomination and scooping multiple BET and Soul Train awards, Tems has turned her voice into a passport that keeps opening doors. 

Her upcoming concert isn’t just another show; it’s a victory lap for an artist whose every award marks a new chapter in the rise of African music on the global stage.

Early steps and EPs

Tems first announced her arrival with independent singles like “Mr Rebel” (2018) and “Try Me” (2019). 

Her breakout moment came in 2020 with her debut EP For Broken Ears, released on 25 September 2020. 

The EP featured the single “Damages,” which earned attention domestically and internationally, and later “Free Mind”, which would go on to make waves on U.S. radio. 

In September 2021, after signing with RCA and Since ’93, Tems dropped her second EP, If Orange Was a Place. 

That project was a more polished statement, featuring production from GuiltyBeatz and a guest spot from Brent Faiyaz. 

Singles, features, and the moment of crossover

But much of Tems’s global visibility came through collaboration and strategic features. 

In 2020–21, she was featured on Wizkid’s “Essence”, which became the first Nigerian song to chart on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 (peaking at No. 9), after a remix version with Justin Bieber. She also appeared on Drake’s “Fountains” (2021). 

In 2022, her voice resurfaced in a profound way when Future sampled her song “Higher” on “Wait for U”, crediting her as a featured artist alongside Drake. 

That track debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100, making her the first African artist to debut atop the chart. 

In mid-2023, she released “Me & U,” her first solo single in some time, which performed strongly across UK Afrobeats and U.S. charts. 

And then arrived her full-length album, Born in the Wild, which dropped on 7 June 2024. 

The 18-track textured project features guest appearances (including J. Cole, Asake), and includes singles “Me & U,” “Love Me JeJe,” and “Burning”. 

The album charted in multiple countries, peaking inside the Top 30 in the UK, Netherlands, and Switzerland, and becoming the highest-charting album by a Nigerian female artist in the U.S. to date. 

Within that same release cycle, “Love Me JeJe” earned a Grammy in 2025 for Best African Music Performance, while “Burning” and the album itself received nominations in the Best R&B Song and Best Global Music Album categories, respectively. 

Nairobi is Among Tems’ Top Global Cities

According to Spotify insights, Nairobi ranks in the top five cities worldwide for Tems’ music streams, cementing the capital as one of her most loyal fan bases. 

 That demand is finally translating into a live performance moment, and for many fans, it feels overdue.

 “Tems’ music already lives in Nairobi, on playlists, at parties, and in the everyday soundtrack,” says Agnes Opondo, Spotify’s Artist & Label Partnerships Manager for East Africa, who is also on the jury of Pulse Influencer Awards.

 Bringing her to Blankets & Wine is the natural next step for fans who’ve been leading this story.

The data shows that 67% of Tems’ streams in Kenya come from 18–24-year-olds, with another 18% from 25–29-year-olds. 

 This is the same demographic shaping festival culture, fashion, and online music discovery in Nairobi. 

Their appetite for global African stars like Tems reflects a wider cultural shift where Gen Z defines what’s cool, and what goes viral.

Legacy

What makes Tems’s story compelling is less the sum of her chart peaks or award tallies, though those are impressive, and more the manner in which she has stitched her voice into the global fabric of music.

She didn’t debut with fanfare or blockbuster leads; instead, she built her reputation via carefully crafted songs and strategic collaborations. 

Her work with Wizkid, Drake, and Future bridged the gap between Afrobeats, R&B, and hip-hop, enabling her to become a global voice while retaining a distinct identity.

Her debut album, Born in the Wild, shows her evolving ambitions, a project of depth and breadth, exploring faith, introspection, and sonic textures, earning critical notice. Pitchfork called it an “undercurrent of Christian faith with melismatic cadences”. 

But awards aren’t just hollow trophies for Tems. They signal doors opened, representation broken, and new thresholds crossed. 

Her multiple Grammys place her among a select cohort of African artists globally honoured; her Billboard Women in Music win signals recognition not just of her voice but of her rise in a competitive industry.

As Tems continues on her path, now with a full-length album, an international tour, and growing influence, her story is no longer just about one vocal talent from Lagos. 

It’s about an artist redefining boundaries, layering creativity with purpose, and showing that the next wave of global music need not come from the usual capitals — it can emerge from wherever authenticity resides.