Nigerian musician Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has urged the world to look beyond stereotypes and explore the cultures of Africa, starting with Ghana and Nigeria.
Speaking in an interview with Fashion Bomb Daily at the 2025 Met Gala, which took place on May 5, the “Love Me Jeje” hitmaker shared sentiments about the beauty and diversity of African music and culture.
Tems expressed her belief that African music goes far beyond the global perception of just Afrobeats.
“I feel like we can go further in every single aspect of sound. We’re not just like Afrobeats, there’s Amapiano, there’s Afrosoul, there’s R&B, there’s Afro Jazz, there’s so many things about, so many genres in music in Africa that I feel like people are not all the way tapped into yet,” she said.
Beyond music, Tems also emphasised the importance of cultural immersion. She encouraged people, especially those abroad, to travel to Ghana and Nigeria for vacation, and also to form their understanding of what life in Africa truly feels like.
“So, I always encourage people to go to Lagos, Ghana, and just like do a vacation, you know, not even for any like agenda, just go see for yourself and experience before you make an opinion or before you have a conclusion in your mind, just, you know, see it for yourself and see how you feel,” she stated.
According to Tems, the charm of Ghana and Nigeria lies in the richness of their traditions and the creative energy.
“I think it’s just the creativity, it’s the daily effort, it’s the looks, it’s the songs, it’s the traditions, it’s the culture,” she added.
