Nigerian singer Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has climbed to the top of Africa’s streaming charts on Spotify, surpassing South African star Tyla in monthly listener numbers. The achievement highlights the growing global reach of African music and continues to generate conversations on Zoyols Blog about the continent’s expanding influence in international pop culture.
The singer recently recorded about 38.3 million monthly listeners on Spotify, slightly ahead of Tyla’s 38.2 million listeners. Industry observers believe Tems’ rise was supported by new music releases and high-profile collaborations that helped keep her audience engagement strong across streaming platforms.
Several of her recent projects contributed to the surge in listeners. Tracks such as What You Need (Colour Version) and collaborative records like Bounce Road Blues featuring J. Cole and Future helped maintain steady streaming momentum. Her collaboration with British rapper Dave on Raindance also continues to perform strongly with listeners worldwide.
The singer is now close to breaking the record for the highest monthly listeners ever recorded by an African artist, a mark previously set at around 40 million listeners. Analysts believe her growing international appeal and consistent music releases could help her surpass that milestone soon.
Beyond monthly listeners, Tems remains one of Africa’s most successful female music exports globally. She currently holds over 4.7 billion total streams across all credits, reinforcing her position as one of the continent’s most influential contemporary music stars.
