NEW YORK — Grammy-winning Nigerian singer Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has called on the global community to look past stereotypes and experience African culture firsthand, beginning with visits to Nigeria and Ghana.
Speaking with Fashion Bomb Daily at the 2025 Met Gala, Tems encouraged international audiences to immerse themselves in African cities like Lagos and Accra to truly understand the continent’s cultural richness.
“I always encouraged people to go to Lagos and Ghana for vacation. Just go and see for yourself before you make an opinion [about Africa],” she said. “See it for yourself and see how you feel.”
Tems emphasized that Africa’s beauty lies in its everyday creativity and vibrant cultural expression. “It is in the creativity, the daily efforts, the looks, the songs, the traditions and the cultures,” she said.
Addressing global misconceptions about African music, the Essence singer also highlighted the continent’s musical diversity beyond Afrobeats.
“We are not just Afrobeats,” Tems said. “There is Amapiano, Afrosoul, R&B, Afro Jazz. There are so many genres in African music that people are not all the way tapped into yet.”
Tems has become a prominent voice representing African excellence on the global stage, using platforms like the Met Gala to spotlight her roots and the continent’s artistic breadth.
