Nigerian artist Temilade Openiyi, known as Tems, has been selected as one of the honorees at Billboard’s annual women in music event. She will receive the Billboard Women In Music Breakthrough Artist award for the year.
The event acknowledges women across various music professions in different categories. Tems will share insights into her journey into music and her collaborations with top artists like Beyonce, Drake, and Rihanna in an interview leading up to the award ceremony, scheduled for Wednesday.
Regarding her music, Tems confirmed that her album will indeed be released this year, stating, “It is 1,000% coming out this year.”
Several emerging artists in Africa, including Grammy-winning South African artist Tyla, have acknowledged the impact of Tems’ rise to stardom. However, Tems humbly downplayed her influence, expressing that while she may not fully grasp her impact, she finds inspiration in inspiring others.
Tems gained widespread recognition after featuring on Wizkid’s 2020 single “Essence,” which reached number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, especially after the release of the remix version featuring Justin Bieber.
At the Billboard Women In Music ceremony on March 7 at the YouTube Theatre in Los Angeles, Tems will receive her award and perform.
