Grammy-winning singer Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has become the first African female artist to record seven entries on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.
The record-breaking moment came after her song “What You Need” debuted at No. 93 on this week’s Billboard Hot 100, pushing her total number of chart appearances to seven.
With this achievement, Tems now stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Nigerian superstar Burna Boy and South African rock band Seether, who also hold seven entries each, making them the African acts with the most Billboard Hot 100 appearances.
But Tems’ journey to this moment has been nothing short of historic.
In 2022, she made global music history by becoming the first African artist to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, thanks to her collaboration with Future and Drake on the smash hit “Wait For U.”
Now, industry watchers believe she may soon break another record. Her upcoming collaboration with J. Cole and Future titled “Bunce Road Blues” is expected to debut on the chart next week, a move that could officially make her the African artist with the highest number of Billboard Hot 100 entries.
For fans and music observers alike, Tems’ steady rise continues to signal the unstoppable global power of African music, and the growing influence of Nigerian artists on the world stage.