Tracing Tems’ journey from Mr Rebel to Born in the Wild, one thing remains clear: She has always moved with purpose.
Few artists arrive with a presence so distinct that their voice alone alters the landscape. Tems is one of them. From the moment her smoky, ethereal tone cut through the noise of Afrobeats, it was clear she was operating on her own frequency—somewhere between R&B, soul, and the hypnotic rhythm of Afro-fusion.
Her music isn’t built for instant gratification; it lingers, revealing new textures with each listen. Every song, whether a global anthem or an overlooked deep cut, feels intentional, shaped by an artist who moves at her own pace. Tems doesn’t just make hits—she crafts experiences.
What sets Tems apart isn’t just her voice—it’s her ability to translate emotion into sound, crafting music that lingers in the minds of listeners. And if the past few years are any indication, her greatest work may still be ahead.
Across these 20 essential songs below, we see an artist who refuses to be boxed in, whose music career is a description of her meteroic rise to global fame.
1. Mr Rebel
Before the world knew her name, there was just a woman, a microphone, and a hunger to create. Mr Rebel was born in that solitude—self-produced, self-written, self-possessed. It wasn’t designed for the charts. It wasn’t even designed to be heard by millions. But it was undeniable. This was the first whisper of what Tems would become: an artist unafraid to be different. You can hear it in the layered harmonies, the weight of her voice.
2. Looku Looku
There’s playfulness here, but it’s the kind that masks something sharper underneath. Looku Looku glides over minimalist production, its lyrics dissecting the artifice of a world obsessed with appearances, which subtly incorporates Lagos street sounds. It’s a precursor to the Tems we’d come to know—the storyteller, the observer, the one who sees through everything.
3. Try Me
When Try Me dropped, it was impossible to ignore. This was Tems breaking through the noise—her voice bruised yet unbowed, her lyrics laced with a challenge. This was the song that changed everything. Try Me was a breakthrough moment—a song that resonated far beyond its initial audience. Its emotive delivery and powerful lyrics captured themes of perseverance and self-belief, making it an instant classic.
4. These Days
Released during a period of personal and creative growth, These Days is a track with lo-fi aesthetic and contemplative lyrics that captures the restlessness and longing that defined much of Tems’ early work. The song captures what it feels like to exist between moments—to be lost but not quite searching.
5. Know Your Worth (with Khalid & Davido)
Tems’ first major international feature.Her verse in Know Your Worth didn’t just fit—it stood out, hinting at an artist whose sound could transcend borders, subtly introducing her sound to a global audience before her first EP even dropped.
6. Damages
Damages took Tems’ signature introspection and fused it with an undeniable groove, marking a transition from underground favorite to mainstream force.
7. Free Mind
Initially overlooked, Free Mind gradually became one of Tems’ most beloved solo tracks. Written during a bout of insomnia, it explores themes of inner turmoil and self-liberation. Its slow-burning rise in popularity—years after its release—reflects how Tems’ music often finds deeper resonance over time.
8. Higher
Higher, produced by Oddio, soars as one of the standout gems on Tems’ 2020 EP For Broken Ears. Its emotional weight and ethereal vibe caught the ears of Future and Drake, who flipped it into the Grammy-winning, chart-topping smash Wait For U.
9. The Key
From For Broken Ears, The Key played like a declaration of self-discovery. It wasn’t about proving anything—it was about realizing she never had to. The song’s stripped-down production allowed her voice to take center stage, making it a fan favorite.
10. Fountains (ft. Drake)
Tems’ feature on Fountains was a defining moment—her introduction to a global mainstream audience. The song, housed in Drake’s Certified Lover Boy, carries a smooth, weightless energy, blending Afrobeats and alternative R&B into something effortlessly hypnotic.
11. Peace ft Mannywellz
On Peace, Tems trades intensity for serenity, proving that her voice doesn’t need to soar to be impactful. Featured on Mannywellz’s Mirage EP, the song is gentle and reflective, built around a quiet longing that unfolds with each verse. Her vocals here are almost weightless, gliding over the stripped-down production with ease.
12. Essence ft Wizkid
This collaboration with Wizkid wasn’t just a hit—it was a cultural moment. Essence propelled Afrobeats further into the global mainstream, but what made the track stand out was its organic chemistry. Tems’ vocals didn’t just complement Wizkid’s—they defined the song’s emotional core.
13. Vibe Out
Tems at her most effortless. A standout track from If Orange Was a Place, Vibe Out isn’t about vocal acrobatics or grand statements—it’s a moment of pure feeling, floating between serenity and melancholy. The song captures the calm before the storm of international fame.
14. Avoid Things
A contemplative track about emotional detachment, Avoid Things showcases Tems’ ability to create atmospheric music that lingers long after the final note and her ability to capture storytelling in her melodies.
15. Crazy Tings
The lead single from If Orange Was a Place, Crazy Tings brought a more rhythmic, lighthearted energy to Tems’ discography. It was a reminder that even when Tems leaned into more upbeat territory, she never lost her depth.
16. Wait For U (with Future & Drake)
This Grammy-winning collaboration was built around a sample of Higher, a track from For Broken Ears. Rather than being a standard feature, Tems’ contribution became the emotional anchor of the song, reinforcing her ability to shape the sonic direction of collaborations rather than merely lending her voice.
17. No Woman No Cry
Tems reinterpreting Bob Marley could have been risky. Instead, it was revelatory. Her version of No Woman No Cry, recorded for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, wasn’t just a cover—it was a reimagination. Despite battling laryngitis during the recording, she delivered a performance that felt raw and intimate, proving her ability to infuse even familiar material with new depth.
18. Me & U
The first single from her debut album, Born in the Wild, Me & U signaled a new phase for Tems—one where she had complete creative control. She not only wrote and produced the track but also directed its music video, highlighting her growing presence as a visual artist. The song’s introspective lyrics and hypnotic beat made it one of her most defining releases.
19. Love Me Jeje
A reimagining of Seyi Sodimu’s 1997 hit, Love Me Jeje was a deliberate regard to Nigerian music history. At a time when global success could have pushed her to prioritize international sounds, Tems instead chose to honor her roots, creating a bridge between past and present. A song which earned her a Grammy award from the recent Grammy Awards show.
20. Boy O Boy
Written in a single night, Boy O Boy is one of the most unfiltered tracks from Born in the Wild. Its rawness contrasts with the polish of some of her previous work, showcasing an artist who, despite her success, remains deeply connected to the spontaneity that defined her early years.
