Tems

Essence & Free Mind Afrobeats Star, Grammy Winner

Net Worth: $4 Million

Annual Earnings: $1.2 Million/yr

Primary Source: Music Streaming, Concert Tours & Songwriting

Profile Details

Age	30 (Born June 11, 1995)
Country	Nigeria 🇳🇬
Birth Place	Lagos, Nigeria
Height	5' 9" (175 cm)

Biography & Deep Dive

Early Life & Background

Temilade Openiyi was born on June 11, 1995, in Lagos, Nigeria, to a British-Nigerian father and a Nigerian mother. Her family lived in the United Kingdom briefly before returning to Lagos. She was raised in a musical household and sang in her school choir. She graduated with a degree in economics from the Monash South Africa university before returning to Lagos to pursue music.

Career Milestones

Tems quit her digital marketing job in 2018 to release her debut single 'Mr Rebel'. She achieved international breakthrough fame in 2020 collaborating on Wizkid's smash hit 'Essence', which reached the Billboard Hot 100 top 10. She featured on Drake's 'Fountains' (2021) and Future's 'Wait for U' (2022), which reached number one. She won a Grammy Award and was nominated for an Oscar for co-writing Rihanna's 'Lift Me Up' (2022).

Business & Wealth Model

Tems's wealth is driven by streaming royalties, touring, and songwriting credits. She holds commercial sponsorships, including serving as a brand ambassador for Tommy Hilfiger.

Cultural Legacy

Tems is celebrated as a major pioneer and leading global voice of the contemporary Afrobeats and alt-R&B movement. Her unique, deep, soulful vocals and international collaborations have made her a major figure in global music.

Fun Facts

She self-produced many of her early hit songs, including 'Mr Rebel' and 'Try Me', after teaching herself production on YouTube.
Tems co-wrote Rihanna's comeback single 'Lift Me Up' for the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack, earning an Oscar nomination.
She studied economics in South Africa before committing full-time to her music career in Nigeria.