Award-winning Nigerian singer Tems has surprised fans by revealing the completely different career path she might have taken if her music journey hadn't succeeded. The revelation came during an interactive session with her followers on social media platform X.
The Unexpected Career Revelation
During a fan Q&A session on Wednesday, one curious follower asked the burning question: "If music didn't work, what else do you think you would be doing today?" Tems, whose real name is Temilade Openiyi, responded with an answer that caught many off guard: "I might have been an accountant or a mathematics teacher."
This confession sparked widespread conversation among her fanbase, who primarily know her as one of the most innovative and creative voices in the contemporary Afrobeats scene. The response highlighted how close the global star came to living an entirely different life before fame found her through music.
From Digital Marketing to Global Stardom
Before achieving international recognition, Tems worked in the corporate world as a digital marketer. In a life-changing decision that shaped her future, she resigned from this position in January 2018 to pursue music full-time. This bold move proved to be the turning point that launched her remarkable career.
Her major breakthrough arrived in 2020 when she featured on Wizkid's massively successful track "Essence." The song quickly became a global anthem and eventually climbed to number nine on the prestigious Billboard Hot 100 chart after Canadian superstar Justin Bieber joined the remix version.
Grammy Success and Recent Achievements
The global exposure from "Essence" transformed Tems into an international sensation, opening doors to numerous collaborations, endorsement deals, and ultimately, Grammy recognition. Her career reached new heights in February 2025 when she made global headlines by winning the Best African Music Performance category at the 77th Grammy Awards.
She secured this prestigious award with her hit song "Love Me JeJe" during the ceremony held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. This victory marked her second career Grammy, further cementing her status as one of Nigeria's most successful musical exports.
Tems faced stiff competition in the category, beating strong nominations including:
- "Tomorrow" by Yemi Alade
- "MMS" by Asake featuring Wizkid
- "Sensational" by Chris Brown featuring Davido and Lojay
- "Higher" by Burna Boy
The singer entered the 2025 Grammy ceremony with three nominations, bringing her total career nominations to an impressive eight. She also received nominations for Best Global Music Album for "Born in the Wild" and Best R&B Song for "Burning."
More recently, in November, Tems released a surprise extended play titled "Love Is a Kingdom," a seven-track project that beautifully blends Afrobeats, alternative R&B, and her signature introspective sound that fans have come to love.
The multiple Grammy nominations combined with her recent win have significantly strengthened Tems' reputation as one of the most recognized and respected Nigerian artists on the global music stage, proving that her decision to leave digital marketing for music was indeed the right choice.
