Nigerian singer and songwriter Tems has once again made history, winning the Best African Music Performance award at the 2025 Grammy Awards for her hit song Love Me Jeje. She beat a strong field of nominees, including fellow Nigerian superstars Burna Boy, Wizkid, Davido, Yemi Alade, and US singer Chris Brown, whose song Sensational featured Nigerian artists Davido and Lojay.
This is the second year since the category was introduced, a move widely welcomed as recognition of African artists’ growing influence on the global music scene. Last year, South African singer Tyla won the inaugural award for her viral hit Water.
A Moment of Joy and Gratitude
An emotional Tems took to the stage in Los Angeles to accept the award, joking about how overwhelmed she was:
“My heart is beating so fast. I do work out, but it’s not showing up right now!”
she said, drawing laughter from the audience.
She also took a moment to honour her mother, whose birthday falls the day after the Grammys:
“Dear God, thank you so much for putting me on this stage and bringing me this team. And tomorrow is my mum’s birthday—this is her first Grammys. I just want to thank you, Mum, because she has done a lot for me and my brother. Happy birthday, Mum.”
Tems’ Love Me Jeje is an interpolation of Seyi Sodimu’s 1997 classic of the same name, a song that resonated across Nigeria in the late ‘90s. The updated version has been a global hit, amassing 150 million streams on Spotify and millions of views on YouTube. She first performed the song live at Coachella in April 2024, ahead of her debut album Born in the Wild, released in May.
A Record-Breaking Nigerian Artist
With this win, Tems has become the first Nigerian artist to win two Grammys, surpassing other Nigerian stars such as Burna Boy, Wizkid, and legendary percussionist Sikiru Adepoju, who each have one Grammy to their name.
Her first Grammy win came in 2023, when she took home the Best Melodic Rap Performance award for her collaboration with Future and Drake on Wait For U.
Nigeria’s Global Musical Influence
Tems’ victory further underscores Nigeria’s dominance in the African music scene, with all nominees for the Best African Music Performance category—except Chris Brown—hailing from Nigeria. The West African powerhouse has been at the forefront of the Afrobeats explosion, with Nigerian artists consistently topping international charts, selling out stadiums, and earning global accolades.
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu congratulated Tems for her achievement, commending her for bringing “pride” to the country on the world stage.
Aside from her Grammy win, Tems has been gaining significant recognition in the international music industry. She performed Love Me Jeje on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and headlined Dubai’s Sole DXB in December 2024. The song was also nominated for the Afrobeats prize at the 2024 MTV Music Awards and Best International Song at the upcoming NAACP Image Awards, a category Tems won in both 2023 (No Woman No Cry) and 2024 (Me & U).
Women Leading the Way in African Music
With Tyla winning the inaugural Best African Music Performance Grammy last year and Tems securing it this year, African female artists are making waves globally, breaking records and setting new standards in the industry.
Tems’ journey from her self-produced debut single Mr Rebel in 2018 to Grammy-winning global superstar is a testament to the power of African talent, resilience, and creativity. As Afrobeats continues to thrive on the world stage, artists like Tems are ensuring that Africa’s voice remains loud and proud.
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