Nigerian singer and songwriter, Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has made history as the first female Nigerian artist to sell over 10 million units of a single in the United States.
The milestone was confirmed on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, by Chart Data on X (formerly Twitter), which announced that “WAIT FOR U” her Grammy-winning collaboration with Future and Drake had officially crossed the 10 million sales mark in the U.S.
The hit track, which earned Tems the Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance, represents another significant achievement in her global career. Tems first rose to international prominence in 2020 after featuring on Wizkid’s smash hit “Essence,” which broke into the Billboard Hot 100 and received multiple Grammy nominations. She had earlier debuted in 2018 with her single Mr Rebel.
In addition, Tems became the first African female artist to surpass one billion streams on Spotify, underscoring her growing dominance on the world stage. She is currently on her 2025–2026 world tour, which kicked off on September 28 and runs through November 15, with stops in Nairobi, Salvador (Brazil), and Los Angeles, where she will perform at Dodger Stadium.
Her record-breaking feat places her alongside Nigerian superstar Wizkid, who in 2022 became the first Nigerian male artist to achieve the same milestone when Drake’s “One Dance,” featuring him, was certified Diamond by the RIAA.
With multiple accolades including BET Awards, NAACP Image Awards, and a Soul Train Music Award, Tems’ latest accomplishment cements her status as a trailblazer for African female artists in the global music industry.
