Why I Quit My Digital Marketing Job For Music – Tems

Grammy-winning Nigerian singer Temilade Openiyi, known as Tems, shared the reasons behind leaving her job as a digital marketer to follow her music career.

The ‘Love Me Jeje’ artist revealed that the decision was difficult, but she trusted in divine guidance, believing digital marketing wasn’t her true path.

In a recent interview with Billboard, Tems mentioned that after quitting, she waited six months before releasing her debut single, ‘Mr Rabel,’ which began to gain attention.

She said, “[I quit my digital marketing job because] it got to a point where I couldn’t take anymore. It was really dawning one me like, it’s now or never. I was just putting it off until I developed faith that God will see me through wherever I go.

“I quit my job in January 2018, I released ‘Mr Rabel’ six or seven months after I quit my job. Spiritually, I was aware that digital marketing wasn’t my path, I need to leave this place right now. It felt really like, life or death. It was like this can make or break your destiny, and you need to make a decision right now. I chose to quit and it worked out.”

Tems rose to fame after being featured on Wizkid’s 2020 global hit, ‘Essence,’ which reached No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

In 2022, she became the first African artist to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with Future’s song ‘Wait 4 U,’ featuring her and Drake. The track also won a Grammy the following year for Best Melodic Rap.

This year, Tems won another Grammy for her song ‘Love Me Jeje,’ earning the award for Best African Music Performance.