Nigerian Sensation Tems Graces Tiny Desk Stage

Nigerian singer-songwriter Tems has become the latest African artist to perform on NPR’s famed Tiny Desk Concert series. This performance comes just days before the highly anticipated release of her debut album, “Born in the Wild,” set to drop on June 7, 2024.

Tems’ Tiny Desk performance not only highlighted her immense vocal talent but also gave fans an exclusive preview of her forthcoming album. She opened the set with “Me & U,” the lead single from “Born in the Wild,” captivating the audience with her soulful voice and poignant lyrics.

Following this, Tems revisited her earlier work with a stirring rendition of “Ice T,” a standout track from her 2020 project, “For Broken Ears.” The song’s emotive depth and her dynamic delivery reaffirmed why she is one of the most compelling voices in contemporary music.

Tems added to the enthusiasm by debuting two new songs from her upcoming album, “Unfortunate” and “Forever.” Both songs demonstrated her flexibility and the rich, nuanced sound that fans may anticipate from “Born in the Wild.”

To close her memorable set, Tems performed “Love Me Jeje,” another single from the eagerly awaited album, leaving the audience in awe and anticipation.

The set list for the performance was as follows:

1. Me & U
2. Ice T
3. Unfortunate
4. Forever
5. Love Me Jeje

Tems was joined by a talented group of musicians:

• Daniel Crawford: keys, music direction
• Brett Baker: percussion
• Erick Walls: guitar
• Eric Ingram: bass
• Robert Johnson: drums
• Olivia Williams: vocals
• Ashly Williams: vocals
• Kadeem Nichols: vocals

The Tiny Desk production team, led by producer Bobby Carter and director/editor Kara Frame, ensured the performance was an intimate and visually stunning experience. The audio was masterfully handled by Josephine Nyounai, and the visual elements were captured by videographers Kara Frame, Joshua Bryant, Alanté Serene, and Mitra I. Arthur. The audio engineering was overseen by Neil Tevault, with additional support from production assistant Ashley Pointer and photographer Estefania Mitre. Animation for the concert was created by Jackie Lay, with floral arrangements by Kelanda Edwards.

The Tiny Desk team, including Maia Stern and Hazel Cills, worked under the executive production of Suraya Mohamed. The series was originally created by Bob Boilen and Stephen Thompson, with Keith Jenkins serving as the VP of Visuals and Music.

Tems’ Tiny Desk performance is now available to watch in full, offering a tantalizing glimpse into her upcoming album and solidifying her status as a rising star in the global music scene.