Music  

Tems makes history despite Grammy loss to SZA

By Musa Adekunle

03 February 2025   |   12:27 am

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Nigerian music star, Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, lost the Best R&B Song category at the 67th Grammy Awards to American singer SZA, whose song Saturn clinched the award. The much-anticipated event took place on Sunday, February 2, 2024, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, United States. Tems was nominated in the same…

Nigerian music star, Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, lost the Best R&B Song category at the 67th Grammy Awards to American singer SZA, whose song Saturn clinched the award.

The much-anticipated event took place on Sunday, February 2, 2024, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, United States.

Tems was nominated in the same category with top American acts, including Muni Long, Coco Jones, and Kehlani, making it a tight race for the prestigious award.

Though she did not win, her nomination was a groundbreaking moment for Nigerian music. This marked the first time a Nigerian female artiste was nominated outside the Global Music categories as a lead act.

It also made her the first Nigerian solo artiste to earn a spot in the R&B category.

Tems, who gained international fame for her work on Wizkid’s global hit Essence, has continued to rise in the industry, collaborating with stars like Drake, Beyoncé, and Future.

Last year, she won a Grammy for Best Melodic Rap Performance for her role in Future’s Wait For U, making history as the first Nigerian female artiste to bring home a Grammy.

Her journey to the top has been nothing short of inspiring. From breaking records on Billboard charts to earning an Oscar nomination for her songwriting contribution to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Tems has consistently pushed the boundaries of Nigerian music