Nigerian singer Tems has made history as Africa’s highest-selling female artist, reaching over 25 million units sold worldwide. This amazing feat puts her ahead of music greats like Angelique Kidjo, Tiwa Savage, and Yemi Alade.
Tems, whose full name is Temilade Openiyi, began her music journey in 2018. Since then, her unique sound and powerful voice have taken the world by storm. Songs like “Essence” (with Wizkid), “Wait For U” (with Future & Drake), “Free Mind”, and “Higher” have all received big international certifications, especially in the United States.
Here’s how big some of her songs are:
- Essence – 5× Platinum in the US
- Wait For U – 3× Platinum
- Free Mind – 2× Platinum
- Higher – Platinum
Tems has also earned recognition in the UK, Canada, France, South Africa, and Australia. Her global success shows that African women are not just making music, they are leading the charts.
Although Cheb Khaled (81 million) and Wizkid (75 million) still hold higher overall numbers, Tems’ achievement is a huge win for female artists across Africa. She’s not just breaking records, she’s inspiring a generation.
