Afropop Nigerian star says “women are not respected in industry”

The Nigerian star of Afropop Tems told the BBC “People don’t really respect women” in their industry.

The two -time Grammy Award winner told the BBC that she was struggling to be taken seriously at the beginning of her career.

“I realized there are always expenses. There is always a price you pay. And many of these prices I have not been ready to pay and there were not many options,” Thames said.

Afropop has gained enormous global popularity over the last decade, but despite this growth, it remains a well -known men’s dominated.

The so -called “big three” – Burna Boy, Davido and Wizkid – all are men – while their colleagues from women, like Tiwa savage and IamiaThey talked about the barriers they encounter because of their gender.

Earlier this year, Tems struck after negative comments about her body, which were made online after a video of her performance was posted on X.

She wrote on the social media platform: “It’s just a body, I will add and lose weight. I never hid my body, I just didn’t need to prove or refute anyone. The more you don’t like my body, the better for me really.”

Tems told the BBC that he wants to “change the way women see themselves in music” and hopes to achieve this through her new platform, the leading initiative of Vibe.

The project aims to provide opportunities for young women in the music industry in Africa.

“I promised myself that if I got to a place where I could do more, I would make this initiative for women like me and maybe make women access to platforms and access to a wider audience and success,” Thames said.

The initiative launched on Friday in Tems’s hometown, Lagos. The vocalists, the authors of the songs and the producers were invited to a series of workshops, master classes and panel discussions, all for the purpose of developing skills and relationships.

Asked what advice you would give to young women who want to break through the industry, she said: “I think it’s important to have an idea of what you want for yourself, what your brand is, what your border is.

“What are the things you wouldn’t do for the glory and the things you would do?”

TEMS that has scored hits with the likes of Love me hehe and Free -mindHe said that anyone trying to break into the industry should be passionate about their craft.

“Not everyone sings who loves music. If I wasn’t known, I would still make music. I would be in some jazz club … on a random basis on a Friday night,” she said.

But this is by no means the reality of Thams. Five years of her debut EP, she collaborated with Beyonce and Rihanna’s likes, has accumulated more than 17 meters of Spotify and Headlined International Festivals.

And next month, she will support the British group Coldplay during their sold performance at Wembley Stadium concerts in the UK.

Tems has succeeded in being “authentic” and “bold”.

“Even when people tell you to change your sound, change your style, you look at them and say,” No. “If it meant I was not signed, I was good not to be signed. I went to a few places that didn’t sign me and I was fine with it,” she said.

Music is not the only passion for TEMS – it is a keen football fan and has recently become a private owner of the American football club San Diego FC.

“I never imagined that I owned or was owned by any football team,” she said, adding that her brother initially went into the sport.

TEMS joined San Diego’s ownership with Pave Investments, a private investment company in West Africa, which also helped raise funds for funding African Basketball League connected to NBAS

The participation of Thams in San Diego gives her hope that “people can be brave enough to try things that no one has ever considered possible.”

She said, “I don’t see myself as just a singer, just a musician, just an artist. I’m a lot more than that.”