Afrobeats singer and media entrepreneur TeeMirror has thrown himself into two of Nigerian music’s favourite arguments: Wizkid or Davido, Tems or Ayra Starr.
On Conversations With Kenni, hosted by Kehinde Ajose, he did not hedge. He picked a side, then explained why the second choice had nothing to do with looks and everything to do with what he called “mature conversations.”
Asked to choose a collaboration between Wizkid and Davido, he answered quickly.
“I’ll just choose Wizkid.”
The host had framed it as rapid fire. TeeMirror treated it that way.
The date question lasted longer. Between Tems and Ayra Starr, he said, “A date with Tems.” Then he drew a line that is already stirring debate.
“Yes, I would choose Tems over Ayra because I like mature conversations. Okay. I’m not saying she’s immature actually. I’m just saying that the kind of conversations I will have with Tems. The experiences Tems has is not what Ayra has.”
Ajose pushed back, asking whether the two women were not in almost the same age range. TeeMirror said no.
“No, they are not because Tems had worked in a formal setting and had seen a lot of things. For Ayra she was picked from her father’s house to fame. Her mother’s house to fame so experiences are different.”
When the host said that framing made it sound as if Ayra did nothing before fame, TeeMirror tightened the point.
“I’m talking about real life experience of working, interacting with people, and then deciding that, okay, I’m done with this corporate world. I’m going to face my music career, that’s it, and you win. That’s something to look out for.”
Tems, born Temilade Openiyi, did leave a corporate path for music and later became a global name through records, features and Grammy recognition. Ayra Starr, signed young by Mavin Records, rose fast from online covers to international stages.