Tems has revealed that her ultimate dream collaboration is with American singer-songwriter Frank Ocean. The two-time Grammy Award winner shared this during her cover interview with British Vogue, expressing her desire to one day work with the acclaimed artist. The revelation comes as part of an intimate conversation that covers the full arc of her journey, from a quiet girl in Lagos who barely spoke until age three to a global Afrobeats icon who has collaborated with Beyoncé, Drake, and Justin Bieber.
The British Vogue cover story, photographed by Nadine Ijewere, features Tems in bold fashion from Givenchy, Chanel, Dior, and Saint Laurent. Beyond her music, she discussed her mentorship initiative, The Leading Vibe, which supports young African women in the industry, and opened up about her love for bling and her fashion identity built alongside stylist Dunsin Wright. “I choose comfort a lot,” she says, “but they say Yoruba women like bling, so I always have to have something that shines”.
Now based in London, where she has lived for the past five years, Tems continues to write new project-focused music. She reflected on her decision to quit her marketing job in 2018 to pursue music, a move that was met with skepticism. “This is where I’m meant to be,” she says, emphasizing that she has never needed anyone’s validation to know she belongs. Her rise has been nothing short of historic: she became the first African female artist to top the UK Singles Chart and the first Nigerian with two Grammy wins.
For someone with two Grammys, a Billboard Hot 100 No. 1, and now a British Vogue cover, Tems remains remarkably grounded. “I don’t really think I’m a singles kind of artist. I feel like I’m more of a project kind of person,” she explains, adding that the music she’s writing is making her “feel good”. She also shared a wish to work with Frank Ocean, Stormzy, Ms Banks, and Koffee, among others. Her cover moment is more than a milestone, it’s a testament to staying true to the music, no matter how loud the world gets.
