Tems: I Achieved Success ‘Beyond My Dreams’ After Quitting Marketing Job

Nigerian singer Temilade Openiyi, globally recognized as Tems, has revealed that her current success in the music industry has already surpassed the wildest expectations she held when she first began her career. The renowned artist claims she has achieved results far “beyond her dreams.”

Dependable NG reports that the “Love Me Jeje” crooner made this personal disclosure during a recent interactive session with her devoted fanbase on the social media platform X. A fan had posed two direct questions to the singer: “What are you currently looking forward to? Also would you say you’ve achieved all of your dreams prior to stardom?”

Tems offered a faith-filled and humble reply, confirming her satisfaction with her journey: “I’m looking forward to whatever the Lord has in store and honestly I’ve achieved beyond my dreams from when I had a 9-5.”

The singer’s remarkable trajectory began after she made the bold decision to quit her stable job as a digital marketer in January 2018. She launched her professional music career later that year with her debut single, ‘Mr Rebel,’ which initially garnered minor traction in the media. Her career truly exploded, however, after her collaborative feature on Wizkid’s 2020 single, ‘Essence.’ The song, especially following its remix with Justin Bieber, became a global hit, peaking impressively at number 9 on the highly prestigious Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Tems’s subsequent career landmarks have cemented her status as a global powerhouse. In 2023, she became the first female Afrobeats artist to ever win a Grammy Award after her collaboration with Future and Drake, ‘Wait For U,’ secured the Best Melodic Rap Performance award at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards. She continued her historic run in 2025 by winning the Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance, making her the only Nigerian artist to hold multiple Grammys. Additionally, her influence extends beyond singing, as she also earned both Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for co-writting Rihanna’s track, ‘Lift Me Up.’