“I didn’t feel safe, I didn’t feel seen”: How Tems Is Paving the Way for African Women in Music

From the bustling streets of Lagos to the glimmering spotlight of the Grammys, Nigerian singer-songwriter Tems has scaled the world stage, steadfast in staying true to herself. “Authenticity is everything to me,” she insists. “That’s the one thing I cannot compromise on because that’s all I have — who I really am.”

When Tems stepped onto the stage at New York’s MetLife Stadium for the FIFA Club World Cup halftime performance in July, she knew millions were watching. Though the pressure and nerves were real, she replays that moment with pride: “It was an honor to just be there,” she reflects.

Early Fears, Unseen Struggles, and Finding Voice

In interviews, Tems has candidly discussed a time when she felt overshadowed and undervalued in the music industry. As she shared with The Nation, “I didn’t feel safe, I didn’t feel seen, and I didn’t feel supported for a very long time.”

These emotions didn’t just vanish once success came. Rather, they became guiding forces in her resolve. The challenges she endured—being underestimated as a producer, feeling invisible amid male-dominated spaces—helped shape her conviction that she must create space not just for herself, but for those who come behind her.

Staying True While Stepping into the Light

Even amid international acclaim, Tems refuses to dilute the essence of who she is. She’s repeatedly stated that she won’t let stardom alter her inner compass. In a conversation with GRAMMY.com, she described her debut album Born in the Wild as a narrative about survival, embracing inner complexity, and accepting every part of oneself.

This balancing act—of growth without self-erasure—is rare in a landscape where labels, collaborators, and the public often demand conformity.

Breaking Barriers for Other Women in Music

Tems isn’t merely content to succeed as an individual: she’s actively building bridges for other African women in the music industry. She launched the Leading Vibe Initiative (LVI)—a mentorship and development program targeting women between 18 and 35 who aspire to work in music (as artists, producers, managers, or executives).

The initiative offers workshops, networking support, legal insights, and funding — all with the goal of making the invisible visible. In her words, “there are so many talented women who can be producers, managers, audio engineers — but they’re not even visible.”

To date, LVI has made waves not just in Nigeria, but is expanding to Kenya and other African hubs. Observers see this as a turning moment in the push for equity in music across the continent.

The Stage, the Awards, the Legacy

Tems’s trajectory is dazzling. After releasing her debut EP For Broken Ears in 2020, she became internationally known via her feature on Wizkid’s hit “Essence” (which charted globally).

In 2023, her collaboration with Drake and Future (“Wait for U”) earned her a Grammy win, making her the first African woman to win in that category.

In 2025, she added a second Grammy (for Love Me JeJe) to her shelf—cementing her position as one of Africa’s most decorated artists.

Through it all, she continues to operate with purpose. She sees her platform not just as a means for personal success, but as a lever to shift power, visibility, and opportunity across the African music ecosystem.