Grammy-award winning Nigerian alté singer Tems is on a mission to heighten the presence of women in the music industry through her new initiative, Leading the Vibe.
Exclusively announced via Billboard, the Leading the Vibe Initiative is dedicated to young African women of ages 18 to 35 who aspire to professionally enter the creative aspects of the music industry.
The initiative will take place in Lagos on August 8 and 9 as a two-day event of programming where aspiring women music industry professionals from artists, songwriters, and producers will engage in workshops, master classes, and panel discussions.
The initiative is inspired by Tems’ own journey as an autodidact, where she engaged in spontaneous bouts of singing in her classrooms and frequenting the music room at Dowen College.
Tems’ professional debut in as a singer took place in 2018 with the release of her single “Mr. Rebel,” followed by “Try Me” in 2019.
It was not until 2020 when she gained global acclaim for her collaboration with Afrobeats superstar Wizkid on “Essence,” which topped the Billboard Hot R&B charts at number 3. She went on to release several chart-hitting singles, including “Free Mind,” ” Love Me JeJe” and “Me and U.”
Her collaboration with Drake, which also featured Future, topped the Billboard Hot 100 on its debut—making history as the first Nigerian artist to debut at number one the Billboard chart.
Collaboration is a transparent superpower of the Lagos born songstress, with Rihanna, Beyoncé, Lady Donli, J. Cole, Justin Beiber, Drake, Future among her many collaborators.
Tems has also obtained a plethora of credible accolades, including two American Music Awards, two BET Awards, three BMI Awards, four NAACP Awards, five Headies, and among eight Grammy nominations—securing two wins at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, where she made history as the first Nigerian artist win multiple Gramophones in one night.
The Leading the Vibe Initiative will grant attendees access to distinguished figures in the music industry, making the experience not only worthy of praise but a valuable tactic in demonstrating its effectiveness through the qualified insights it will host.
The initiative also plans to expand throughout the African continent, aiding aspiring African female music industry creatives in one of the most notable markets. Applications are now open to apply to the program until July 13.
