Grammy award-winning artist Temilade Openiyi, also known as Tems, has called on people around the world to go beyond stereotypes and delve into the diverse cultures of Africa, with a focus on Nigeria and Ghana.
During an interview with Fashion Bomb Daily at the 2025 Met Gala in New York, Tems urged individuals from other countries to explore Lagos and Ghana to gain a genuine understanding of life in Africa.
She emphasized that the true beauty of Africa can be found in the depth of its cultures and the boundless creativity that emanates from the continent.
She said, “I always encouraged people to go to Lagos and Ghana for vacation. Just go and see for yourself before you make an opinion [about Africa]. See it for yourself and see how you feel.
“I think it [the beauty of Africa] is in the creativity, the daily efforts, the looks, the songs, the traditions and the cultures.”
Tems also spoke about how diverse African music is contrary to the global perception that it is just Afrobeats.
“We [Africans] can go further in every single aspect of sound. We are not just Afrobeats. There is Amapiano, Afrosoul, R&B, Afro Jazz. There are so many genres in African music that people are not all the way tapped into yet,” the singer said.
