Tems’ manager, Muyiwa Awoniyi, has revealed that Grammy-winning singer Temilade Openiyi had only ₦200 in her account when they first crossed paths.

He made this known during an interview on the Afrobeats Intelligence podcast released recently.

Awoniyi, who now manages one of Nigeria’s most celebrated female artistes, said he met Tems during a period when she had no source of income but still showed kindness and generosity.

“When I met Tems, she only had about ₦200 in her account,” he said.

“Then I had a production company. If I had money, I would buy food. But what shocked me was, even though she didn’t have money, she would order food for us. She didn’t even have a way of earning. So I just realised that she is different from everyone I have seen in Nigeria.”

According to him, her attitude towards formal business dealings also stood out. Unlike many artistes, she didn’t hesitate to formalise their partnership with paperwork.

“There was something Tems did that made me say, ‘I don’t want to do a managerial contract with you, let’s do a company,’” he said.

“We had already verbally agreed on everything. You know, when you present paperwork for artists to sign, it’s always tricky. But she was chasing me to sign my own part. And I have never experienced that before.”

Awoniyi said Tems’ drive, humility and vision were key reasons he chose to build a business with her rather than just manage her music career.

Tems, 28, has since grown into a global star, with features on songs by Drake, Future, Beyoncé and Rihanna.

She won a Grammy in 2023 for her contribution to “Wait For U” and 2024 for ” Love Mi Jeje” and continues to rise as one of Nigeria’s most promising music exports.