Grammy-winning Nigerian singer Temilade Openiyi, widely known as Tems, was among the distinguished honourees at the inaugural Billboard Global Power Players event held on Wednesday at Shoreditch House in East London.
Tems received the Diamond Award, presented by the incoming editor of Billboard Africa, Nkosiyati Khumalo, in recognition of her groundbreaking contributions to music and global influence as an African artist. She was honoured alongside music legend Sir Elton John, who received the Creators’ Champion Award, and Ghazi Shami, founder and CEO of EMPIRE, who was presented with the prestigious Clive Davis Visionary Award.
In her acceptance speech, the Oscar-nominated star expressed gratitude for the recognition and highlighted the significance of African music’s growing global presence:
“Being African and a musician is a whole new world, and I feel like Billboard has been incredibly supportive—not just of African music, but of the entire culture. This is a great honour, especially at a time when African music is reaching heights never seen before. Billboard is one of the key players driving that momentum.”
The award to Ghazi Shami was presented by Nigerian rapper and YBNL label head Olamide, further emphasizing the strong African presence at the event.
The evening also marked the launch of the first-ever U.K. Power Players chart, spotlighting key figures shaping the British and global music landscapes.
Tems continues to break records and barriers: she is Billboard’s most-awarded African artist in history, and in 2023, became the first Nigerian woman honoured at Billboard’s Women in Music event.
