Tems, the Grammy-winning Nigerian singer, recently shared that she has “left the streets” and no longer deals with people wasting her time.
In Nigerian slang, left the streets” describes women who are either getting married or no longer searching for love.
The 31-year-old artist, born Temilade Openiyi, opened up during a TikTok livestream on Monday about her experiences with men and her decision to distance herself from unproductive relationships.
I don’t like it when people just waste my time. But for me, never again. I don’t have that problem anymore. I have left the world, the streets a long time ago. I wouldn’t even say I was ever on the streets,” she said.
Tems rose to prominence in 2020 through her collaboration with Wizkid on the hit song ‘Essence’, solidifying her position as one of Nigeria’s top musical talents.
In 2023, she won her first Grammy Award for her contribution to Future’s 2022 hit ‘Wait For U’, featuring Drake. She earned her second Grammy in 2025, winning the ‘Best African Performance’ category.
Tems also made history as the first African artist to perform at the final halftime show of the FIFA Club World Cup.
