Grammy-winning Nigerian singer Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has become the first African female artist to record seven entries on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
She reached the milestone after her song What You Need debuted at No. 93 on this week’s Hot 100, bringing her total chart entries to seven.
With this achievement, Tems now shares the African record for most Hot 100 entries with fellow Nigerian star Burna Boy and South African rock band Seether, who have also charted seven times each.
Tems first gained global chart recognition in 2022 when Wait For U by Future, featuring Drake and Tems, debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100.
Burna Boy, born Damini Ogulu, reached the seven-entry mark in 2025 through a mix of collaborations and solo releases, including Loved By You with Justin Bieber in 2021 and his 2022 solo hit Last Last, which peaked at No. 44.
Beyond the charts, both Tems and Burna Boy have established themselves as global cultural icons, appearing at major fashion and entertainment events rarely attended by Nigerian stars.
Their rising visibility was especially notable at the 2023 Met Gala in New York, where they became among the first Nigerian music artists to walk the red carpet of the prestigious fundraiser.
The Met Gala, also known as the Met Ball, is an annual fundraising event for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, widely regarded as one of fashion’s most high-profile nights. Each year features a theme guiding guests’ attire and designers’ interpretations. The 2023 edition honoured the late designer Karl Lagerfeld with the theme Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty. Lagerfeld, famed for his work with Chanel, Fendi, and Chloé, passed away on February 19, 2019, at age 85.
At the gala, Burna Boy wore a custom blue-and-black outfit by Burberry styled with a regal flair, while Tems turned heads in a Robert Wun dress, styled by Dunsin Wright with fashion research input from Kim Russell. Their appearances built on the fashion conversations they had sparked earlier in 2023.
The event was co-hosted by Penélope Cruz, Michaela Coel, Roger Federer, Dua Lipa, and Vogue editor Anna Wintour, with a guest list featuring actors, musicians, athletes, and fashion figures.
The Met Gala remains one of entertainment’s most exclusive events, with invitations tightly controlled by Vogue. Tickets reportedly cost tens of thousands of dollars, with tables priced significantly higher, and proceeds benefit the Costume Institute, which funds itself through donations and fundraising.
