On February 2, 2025, at the premiere ceremony of the 67th Grammy Awards, Tems took home the award for Best African Music Performance for her stunning single, Love Me Jeje. With this win, she not only cemented her place as one of Nigeria’s most successful artists but also became the most-awarded Nigerian-based act in Grammy history.
This marks Tems’ second Grammy, following her first win in 2023 for Best Melodic Rap Performance alongside Future and Drake for Wait For You. But this latest victory carries even greater weight—she is now:
✅ The first Nigerian artist to win Best African Music Performance
✅ The first Nigerian female artist to win the category
✅ The most-awarded Nigerian-based artist in Grammy history
✅ The first female Nigerian-based artist to hold two Grammys
A Trailblazing Career
Since her breakout in 2019, Tems—born Temilade Openiyi—has achieved what many artists spend decades chasing. In just six years, she has secured:
🏆 2 Grammy Awards
🏆 4 NAACP Image Awards
🏆 4 BET Awards
🏆 5 Headies Awards
🏆 2 American Music Awards
🏆 2 Soul Train Music Awards
🏆 1 BET Hip-Hop Award
🏆 1 iHeartRadio Music Award
🏆 Billboard Women in Music Breakthrough Award
🏆 1 Oscar nomination
This extraordinary track record proves that legendary status isn’t about time—it’s about impact. And Tems is already a legend.
The Significance of Tems’ Grammy Win
Tems’ global breakthrough came in 2021 with her feature on Wizkid’s “Essence”, a song that became a defining record of the decade. While “Essence” introduced her to the world, her latest Grammy win solidifies her as a force on her own.
Her success also challenges Nigeria’s male-dominated music industry. Female artists have long faced greater struggles for recognition, but Tems is proving that the tide is turning. The conversation around the “Big 3” or “Big 4” in Nigerian music can no longer ignore female artists.
Beyond personal milestones, Tems’ win signals a new era for Nigerian music—one where talent speaks louder than gender, where collaborations are celebrated, and where global recognition is the norm, not the exception.
For young Nigerian artists—especially women—this moment is proof that their artistry can take them to the world’s biggest stages. Tems has opened the door, and there’s no turning back.