Leading Nigerian singer and songwriter Tems, real name Temilade Openiy,i has made history as the first female Nigerian artist to have a single sell over 10 million units in the United States.
The landmark feat was confirmed by Chart Data on X, which announced that “WAIT FOR U”, her collaborative hit with Future and Drake, had officially gone beyond the 10 million sales mark in the US.
The track, which also earned Tems a Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance, marks another major step in her international career.
She also became the first African female artist to reach one billion streams on Spotify, reinforcing her growing dominance in the international music scene.
Tems rose to global recognition in 2020 after featuring on Wizkid’s hit single “Essence”, which broke into the Billboard Hot 100 and earned multiple Grammy nominations. She began her career in 2018 with her debut single “Mr Rebel.”
She is at the moment, on her 2025–2026 world tour, which began on September 28 and runs through November 15, with stops in cities including Nairobi, Salvador (Brazil), and Los Angeles, where she will perform at Dodger Stadium.
