Nigerian sensation Tems won the Best African Music Performance at the 2025 Grammy Awards for her hit “Love Me Jeje,” overshadowing competitors like Yemi Alade, Burna Boy, and Wizkid. The victory came on Sunday evening in Los Angeles, where an emotional Tems shared that her “heart was beating so fast” during her acceptance speech. This year marked only the second awarding of the Best African Music Performance category, highlighting the increasing recognition of African music globally. However, the nomination of US R&B artist Chris Brown for “Sensational,” which blends Afrobeats with features from Nigerian stars Davido and Lojay, sparked debates about who should be considered “African” in such categories.
Tems, appearing out of breath after her name was called, lightened the mood by joking, “I do work out but it’s not showing up right now,” while patting her chest, which amused the audience. At 29, she took the opportunity to honor her mother, whose birthday was the next day, marking her first Grammy experience. “Wow, dear God, thank you so much for putting me on this stage and bringing this team, and tomorrow is my mum’s birthday and this is her first Grammys. I just want to thank you, mum,” Tems said, gesturing towards her mother in the audience.
“Love Me Jeje,” which samples a line from Seyi Sodimu’s 1997 Nigerian classic of the same name, has achieved significant acclaim, with 125 million streams on Spotify and 21 million views on YouTube. This win adds to Tems’ Grammy collection, having previously won Best Melodic Rap Performance in 2023 for her feature on Future’s “Wait For U.” She was also nominated this year for Best Global Music Album for “Born in the Wild” and Best R&B Song for “Burning,” bringing her total Grammy nominations to eight.
Tems’ ascent in the music world began with her self-produced debut “Mr Rebel” in 2018. She gained further notice with “Try Me” in 2019, but her international profile soared after featuring on Wizkid’s “Essence,” which not only charted globally but also led to numerous award nominations, including her first Grammy nod. Over her career, Tems has garnered multiple NAACP Image Awards, a Soul Train Music Award, and several BET Awards, cementing her status as a versatile and influential artist in the music industry.
Tems’ career highlights
Afrobeats influence globally
more on her personal life
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