Nigerian singer-songwriter, Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has won the Best International Act at the BET Awards 2022.
The 2022 awards show was held in Los Angeles at the Microsoft Theater. The BET Awards honour Black people who have done great things in music, culture, and sports.
Fireboy, Dave from the UK, Dinos from France, Fally Ipupa from Congo, Little Simz from the UK, Ludmilla from Brazil, Major League Djz from South Africa and Tayc from France were all beaten by the talented singer.
Tems encouraged women and girls to stay on their chosen path after receiving the prize, saying that the effort will soon pay off.
She said, “Thank you so much for this, thank you so much. It’s an honour… I mean, this is my first award show that I’m winning something and I just want to use this as an opportunity to speak to every single young, old, whatever, every single woman watching this, every single girl watching this at home. Where I’m from, things like this don’t happen.”
Tems had earlier at the event won Best Collaboration with Wizkid’s ‘Essence’ featuring Justin Bieber.
Essence was nominated against ‘Every Change I Get’ by DJ Khaled ft Lil baby and Lil Durk; ‘Family Ties’ by Baby Seem ft Kenderick Lamar; ‘Whole Lotta’ by Bia ft Nicki Minaj; ‘Way 2 Sexy’, Drake ft Future and Young Thug, and ‘Kiss me More’ by Doja Cat ft SZA.
Aside from Tems, other Nigerian performers who have won the Best International Act include 2Baba, D’banj, Ice Prince, Wizkid, Davido and Burna Boy.
