Grammy-winning Nigerian singer, Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has revealed why she quit her job as a digital marketer to pursue music.
The ‘Love Me Jeje’ hitmaker explained that it wasn’t an easy decision, but she was confident in divine direction, especially as she felt digital marketing wasn’t her destined career.
In a recent conversation with Billboard, Tems said she had to wait for six months after quitting her job before she released her first single, ‘Mr Rabel,’ which gained some traction.
She said, “[I quit my digital marketing job because] it got to a point where I couldn’t take anymore. It was really dawning one me like, it’s now or never. I was just putting it off until I developed faith that God will see me through wherever I go.
“I quit my job in January 2018, I released ‘Mr Rabel’ six or seven months after I quit my job. Spiritually, I was aware that digital marketing wasn’t my path, I need to leave this place right now. It felt really like, life or death. It was like this can make or break your destiny, and you need to make a decision right now. I chose to quit and it worked out.”
Tems gained prominence after she was featured on Wizkid’s 2020 global hit, ‘Essence,’ which peaked at No.9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
In 2022, she became the first African artist to debut N0.1 on the Billboard HOT 100 chat, through Future’s song, ‘Wait 4 U,’ which featured her and Drake. The song also won a Grammy for the Best Melodic Rap the following year.
This year, Tems won another Grammy through her song, ‘Love Me Jeje’, for Best African Music Performance.
