Image

Image Credit

Astrida Valigorsky / Contributor through Getty Images

Image Alt

Tems at 2025 Roots Picnic Festival

Image Size

landscape-medium

Key Takeaways:

• Tems launches the Leading Vibe Initiative, which provides mentorship and coaching for girls pursuing careers in African music.
• The program kicks off in Nigeria this August with workshops, panels and masterclasses.
• She goals to shut the gender hole in music by supporting future producers, engineers and artists.

Tems is all about empowering individuals, and particularly, younger girls who’ve a “voice, gift and desire to be heard.” On Wednesday (July 2), the Grammy Award-winning artist launched her Leading Vibe Initiative, a platform devoted to connecting and amplifying girls within the music trade.

“My goal with the Leading Vibe Initiative is to help discover and support talented young women who have the potential to redefine the industry,” the “Love Me JeJe” artist wrote in a press assertion. According to a 2023 USC Annenberg study, girls account for lower than 25% of music artists, with even fewer represented as songwriters and producers. However, Tems is seeking to shut that hole by way of mentorship coaching, and different hands-on profession alternatives.

“By providing access, tools and opportunity, we’re creating space for them to find their voices, step into their power, and shape the future of music across the continent and globally,” she stated. Launching first in Africa, Tems’ dwelling continent, the initiative will ultimately develop throughout the globe.

The very first installment of this system will happen on Aug. 8 and 9, with purposes formally opening at the moment for girls based mostly in Nigeria. According to the announcement, Day 1 will embrace an “intimate event,” whereas Day 2 will provide a full slate of immersive experiences, like workshops, panels and masterclasses. Those can apply proper here.

As many followers most likely keep in mind, Tems herself was as soon as on the surface wanting in. She had her main breakthrough due to Wizkid’s 2020 smash “Essence,” which climbed all the best way to No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and acquired an enormous increase when Justin Bieber jumped on the remix. That identical yr, the songstress dropped For Broken Ears, dwelling to “Free Mind” and “Higher,” the latter of which was sampled by Future on his Grammy Award-winning hit “WAIT FOR U.”

And simply in case anybody doubts how pivotal Tems’ rise has been, fellow Afrobeats stars like Tyla have praised her for “opening so many doors” for African artists worldwide.