A Place Called Orange: The Beauty of Tems.
Written by Treasure Okure
Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, is one of the leading voices in African RnB today. Her passionate yet soothing voice, and artistic originality has made her a rising star in the Nigerian music scene. She came into light with her first single, Mr. Rebel in 2018 and has since grown in popularity and adoration from the public. In 2021, her feature on Wizkid’s Billboard charting song, Essence, catapulted her to international fame, making her an inspiration to many.
On the 26th of December 2021, Tems held a concert in Lagos, titled: A Place Called Orange, where she serenaded fans with her discography, from her debut till date. Listening to her live left a great and lasting impression on me, which inspired me to use this article as a medium to explore and demonstrate the weight and significance behind her lyrics, and their value to the 21st century Nigerian woman.
In 2018, Tems debuted with Mr. Rebel, a song about a love relationship gone cold. The narrator calls out to her lover, trying to get his attention. “Mr. Rebel, are you there? Are you listening?” She sings. But even in this pool of uncertainty, she remains confident in who she is. “I’m the one with the winning prize/ I’m the crown.” Though it’s unclear whether this is her way of trying to convince Mr. Rebel to stay, by giving him reasons to, or her way of trying to reassert her worth in the face of another’s denial of the same.
Looku Looku, her next single, explores an issue many Nigerian women can relate with unsolicited attention from men. We can all relate to being at the mall, or simply existing in public when men interject themselves in our spaces by staring unabashedly or approaching us for unnecessary conversations. Asides from how annoying these interactions usually are, they also promote feelings of unsafety in women considering the numerous incidents of women being mauled, stalked, or killed for refusing to grant men audience.
To this, Tems sings, “Your eyes go burst one day/ For all the girls you chase/ Your neck go break one day/ One girl go pass you dey look am/ What do you wanna know?” It’s a cheeky tune, but the message is heavily felt, and it’s great to see women address the micro issues relatable to a significant number of women in our society. My admiration for this song is further fueled by its encouragement of women to I also like this song because it encourages women to share their experiences on the seemingly minute issues, like men staring at them. Women’s issues don’t have to be heavy, like rape or abortion before they are given audience. We should be able to call out things that make us uncomfortable in our spaces, no matter how big or small.
In Try Me, Tems showcases her confidence by pulling inspiration from the strings of a failed affair. The lyrics explore someone, perhaps an old partner who keeps undermining her, and her efforts to reassert herself in those circumstances. Rumours abound where the meaning of the song is concerned, but one thing we can all agree on is that Tems knows who the fuck she is, despite all the pain she’s experienced. When she sings “Now you wanna lock me away/ I’m winning” and “Yeah, so I woke up in the night/ Broke out of my chains/ Stay in your lane/ You don’t know my name” it paints her as victorious over her circumstances. Damages, her most popular song, explores similar lines as well.
It’s not always confidence and brawn. Tems’s lyricism has also showcased her moments of confusion and vulnerability as she attempts to navigate life. In “Avoid Things” she shares the difficulties she sometimes faces while dealing with some of her personal issues, leading to her avoiding them. This is an honest and well appreciated representation of how conflict is sometimes dealt with, because the picture of women as confrontational or actively involved in trying to solve things is not always the reality we face. The lyrics “I roll my waist, and I craze, while my minds awake/ And it’s a migraine/ To play your mind games” shows some of the anguish the narrator experiences while avoiding things, and yet she avoids them anyway.
In Vibe Out, she seems to have resigned to the crazy flow of things, choosing to maintain a peaceful inner environment despite the crazy things happening around her. In Crazy Tings, Tems speaks to the Nigerian reality of literal madness that we exist in. “If You need somebody craze/ You fit chop somebody’s craze” she sings, making her a Relatable Content Queen. Tems has said that this song was an accolade to the wins she’s experienced in her career, and while that is a valid meaning behind her hit song, it’s still easier to believe that everybody is mad, and we ought to be careful as a result.
My favorite Tems song by far happens to be Replay, where she affirms herself from a higher place. It is worded as an affirmation, with its lyrics so beautiful and captivating. In this song, she addresses all the efforts people have made to bring her down. “Oh, my voice is a mystery/ But they always tryna diss me/ Same guys tryna get in my way/ Keep the same vibe you can’t ruin my day.”
I think of all her songs, this is the most explicit as regards to the challenges she has faced and continues to face as an African woman in a male dominated industry. She makes mention of her experience being arrested in 2020, and all the attempts’ people have made in trying to box her and her sound. It’s refreshing hearing her sing without relying heavily on repetition and deep metaphoric language.
Tems is an image of the quintessential woman who is running her shit and refuses to be defined by the expectations of others. She knows her worth and explores her journey as an artist, and a person through her music. Without an album, she has established herself as a force to be reckoned with in the African music scene, which is wonderful to see. To the public eye, while she’s been met with so much adoration, she’s also been met with so many opinions regarding pretty much anything that can be hyper fixated upon. On the day of the concert, something happened that I didn’t read much meaning to until people began to drop their opinions on social media. A fan threw a note at her, Tems picked it, and said, “A dollar? Really?” Before throwing it back at the crowd. People were quick to call her names, saying she was rude and snobbish. This is not the first-time people have made such comments about her, for being herself, for reacting humanly to things that happen, like the O2 Incident, and for choosing to dress and sound a certain way. It’s also not very surprising either. As women rise to places of prominence, they are expected to behave a certain way. To be sweet, and pliant, and accepting of everything thrown their way. So, when they do the opposite, people tend to react negatively. It’s funny, but that’s why we need to keep filling up spaces and shaking status quos. And that’s why the Beauty of Tems should always be discussed.
Treasure Okure is a writer, model and creative based in Lagos, Nigeria. She loves art, life, learning and self-development. In her free time, she likes to read books, hangout with her friends and listen to music. She is very passionate about Amala. Connect with Treasure on Instagram.
Edited by Blessing Temitope Oguntuase
Blessing Temitope Oguntuase is a law graduate who obtained her Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and Master of Laws in International Air, Space, and Telecommunications Law from the University of Pretoria. Temitope enjoys writing and engaging in research. She is passionate about exploring the intersection between disruptive technologies and the Law. Connect with Temitope on LinkedIn and Instagram.
Published by Akinsipe Temitope
Temitope is a young storyteller who thinks all stories are worth telling. She loves to inspire people to do what they love and follow their passions, tell their stories, and live in the present moment. Connect with Temitope on Instagram, and Twitter.
