By Charles Mgbolu
Reactions continue to trail the monumental win of Nigerian artiste Tems, popularly described as the artiste with a voice of 'liquid gold,' after she emerged winner of the "Best African Music Performance" category.
Tems took home the award for her song "Love Me JeJe” at the 67th Grammy Awards on Sunday.
An emotional Tems took the stage to accept her award, her voice thick with gratitude. "Wow, dear God," she began, her eyes glistening. "Thank you so much for putting me on this stage and bringing me this team."
In 2023, Tems won her first Grammy in the Best Melodic Rap Performance category for the song 'Wait For U' with American hip-hop stars Future and Drake.
Industry reactions
Afrobeats superstar Davido, a fellow Nigerian nominee, took to social media to congratulate the 29-year-old singer.
"Congratulations to my one and only! #chrisbrown! And to the Queen @temsbaby, we are proud of you," Davido posted on X.
Yemi Alade, another esteemed Nigerian nominee, echoed the sentiment, showering Tems with praise: "Some people might not appreciate the miracle that is 'Tems'! She is a superstar! Her star shines differently! Go girl!"
This year's Best African Music Performance category was a celebration of Nigerian excellence, with all five nominees hailing from the West African nation.
Yemi Alade's "Tomorrow," Asake and Wizkid's collaborative effort "MMS," and Davido's team-up with Chris Brown on "Sensational" rounded out the impressive list.
Even former Nigerian presidential candidate Peter Obi couldn't contain his excitement, congratulating Tems on her achievement.
“I am ever elated by the huge success Nigerian youths are making in various fields, especially in the entertainment sector. I like, therefore, to extend my hearty congratulations to our Nigerian Afrobeats star, Tems,” Obi wrote on X.
Continental representation?
Tems' win, however, reignited a conversation about genre representation within the Grammys. While Afrobeats has taken the world by storm, Africa boasts a rich tapestry of musical styles waiting to be explored.
Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. acknowledged this very fact, especially after criticisms that the entire category had been dominated by Nigerians from the Afrobeats genre.
"The universe of sounds coming out of the African continent can't be boiled down to just those having an international impact today, like Afrobeats or Amapiano," Mason stated on the Grammy's website.
South African singer Tyla's powerful statement at the 2024 MTV VMAs also resonated deeply. Accepting the Best Afrobeats Award for her hit "Water," she emphasised the vast diversity of African music.
Diverse continental music
"I know there's a tendency to group all African artists as Afrobeats. Even though Afrobeats has run things and opened doors for us, African music is so diverse," Tyla said at the time.
Tems' triumphant Grammy win is a testament to her undeniable talent. But beyond the award itself, the Grammys recognise that it serves as a springboard for a more inclusive future.
"We can't cover every genre as much as we'd like to and as much as they deserve to be recognised, so this is the first step toward a much bigger, more fruitful journey ahead. And we're not done as an Academy: We're making sure that we represent music from that region fairly and accurately."
➤Click here to follow our WhatsApp channel for more stories.
