Tems champions African women in music with her powerful Leading Vibe Initiative

 

Nigerian superstar Tems is using her platform to inspire and empower the next generation of African women in music. 

The Grammy-winning singer and producer is not only redefining global Afrobeats with her soulful, introspective sound but also building pathways for women to thrive in an industry that has long been male-dominated.

Speaking in a recent interview with CNN’s Larry Madowo and Lamide Akintobi, the Free Mind hitmaker reflected on her journey to success and the challenges she faced along the way. 

“It was really hard to get people to take me seriously, not just as a producer, but as a singer,” she said. 

“I didn’t feel safe, and I didn’t feel seen, and I didn’t feel supported for a very long time.”

Those experiences inspired Tems to create the Leading Vibe Initiative, a mentorship and training platform designed to empower African women in the music business. 

Launched in Lagos in July 2025, the programme supports women aged 18 to 35 who want to become producers, sound engineers, and managers.

“There are so many talented women who can be producers, managers, audio engineers, but they’re not even visible,” Tems explained. “I want to make them visible and create a space where we can redefine the perspective of women in music.”

While the project began in Nigeria, Tems has made it clear that her vision extends across the continent. “We’re definitely taking this beyond Nigeria. Actually, we’re going to Kenya next,” she revealed.

Reflecting on fame and purpose, the Essence singer shared a powerful message about fulfillment: “Fame is not what you want. You could be famous and uncomfortable, famous and unsuccessful. What you really want is to be comfortable.”