Temilade Openiyi, a Nigerian recording artiste who is better known as Tems, is now the best-selling female African musician.
Tems, who launched her music career in 2018, has now surpassed industry veterans like Angelique Kidjo, Tiwa Savage, and Yemi Alade to become the most commercially successful African female artist, according to charts’ data. From available data, the Grammy-winning singer has sold over 25 million units worldwide.
Some of her certifications include ‘Essence’ 5x Platinum in the USA (5 million units), ‘Wait For U’ 3x Platinum in the USA (3 million units), ‘Free Mind’ 2x Platinum in the USA (2 million units), and ‘Higher’ Platinum in the USA (1 million units).
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She also has numerous Platinum and Gold certifications in the UK, Canada, France, Switzerland, New Zealand, Australia, Belgium, and South Africa.
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Meanwhile, Algeria’s Cheb Khaled remains the best-selling African artist with 81 million units, followed by Nigerian Afrobeats star Wizkid with 75 million units.
Temilade Openiyi, known professionally as Tems, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and record producer. She rose to prominence after being featured on Wizkid’s 2020 single “Essence”, which peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart following the release of the remix version with Justin Bieber.
Despite her growing fame, Tems has remained relatively lowkey about her personal life, often describing herself as an introvert who prefers solitude over the spotlight. In past interviews, she has spoken about the pressure of fame and the importance of staying grounded in the midst of growing global recognition.