Whenever I listen to Tems, the Nigerian singer-songwriter known for her velvety deep voice, her moody and mercurial sound sticks with me all day. She’s long been a subject of interest at the Cut, not only because of her vocal talents but for her bold fashion choices as well, which is why we were thrilled to feature her on our January Cut cover. Meeting Tems at her studio in London, writer Connor Garel set out to answer the question: How does an artist not only garner near-universal acclaim before the age of 28 but also secure collaborations with Drake, Beyoncé, and Rihanna, as well as co-signs from SZA and Snoop, all before releasing a full-length project? Her debut album has yet to be released, but Tems already has a Grammy, a Golden Globe nomination, and an Oscar nomination, and all of this happened not long after our first introduction to the young artist tinkering with her own tunes from her college dorm room in South Africa just a few years ago. While at her London studio, the musician played a new song from her forthcoming album, which Garel describes as “an airy, lilting Afropop-R&B ballad with hard-hitting, programmed drums and warm, soulful guitar licks and sees Tems leaving behind a lover who doesn’t recognize her worth.” What he discovered is a testament to Tems’s ability to create a sound and narrative that is truly her own.
Read the full story
