Tems has once again made history, becoming the first African female artist to feature on a song with over 1 billion Spotify streams.
This achievement comes as Future’s 2022 hit single Wait For U, featuring Tems and Canadian megastar Drake, officially crosses the billion-stream mark on Spotify. The song, which was part of Future’s album I Never Liked You, has maintained strong commercial success since its release.
Wait For U has already marked several career-defining moments for Tems, including making her the first Nigerian artist to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song also earned her a Grammy for Best Melodic Rap Performance at the 2023 awards.
With this new milestone, Tems joins Wizkid (One Dance with Drake) and Rema (Calm Down with Selena Gomez) as the only Nigerian artists featured on songs surpassing 1 billion Spotify streams.
Since her breakout moment on Wizkid’s Essence in 2020, Tems has ascended to global superstardom, working with industry giants like Beyoncé and Drake. She also made history as the first Nigerian artist to earn an Oscar nomination for co-writing Lift Me Up, the lead soundtrack for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, performed by Rihanna.
At the 2025 Grammys, Tems continued to set records, becoming the first Nigerian artist to be nominated in an R&B category with a nod for Best R&B Performance. She also secured her second Grammy, winning Best African Music Performance for her hit Love Me Jeje.
With this latest feat, Tems further solidifies her place as a trailblazer, continuing to push boundaries for African artists on the global stage.
