Grammy-winning Nigerian singer, Temilade Openiyi, widely known as Tems, has opened up about why she left her job as a digital marketer to fully commit to her music career.
The singer behind the hit “Love Me Jeje” revealed that the decision was difficult but fueled by her strong faith and the belief that digital marketing was not her destined path.
In an interview with Billboard, Tems shared that after quitting her job in January 2018, she waited about six to seven months before releasing her debut single, “Mr Rabel,” which helped her start gaining attention.
She said, “[I quit my digital marketing job because] it got to a point where I couldn’t take 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.
“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.”
Tems rose to international fame after being featured on Wizkid’s 2020 global hit “Essence,” which reached No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
In 2022, she made history as the first African artist to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with Future’s track “Wait 4 U,” featuring herself and Drake. The song also earned a Grammy for Best Melodic Rap Performance in 2023.
This year, Tems added another Grammy to her collection, winning Best African Music Performance for her song “Love Me Jeje.”