Nigerian music sensation Tems has made history, becoming the first female artist from Nigeria to sell over 10 million copies of a single in the United States.
The milestone was confirmed Tuesday, September 30, 2025, for her feature on the hit track Wait For U alongside Future and Drake. Selling 10 million units in the United States, a threshold often associated with the prestigious RIAA Diamond certification, shows Tems’ immense popularity and commercial power in the world’s largest music market.
Tems, whose full name is Temilade Openiyi, first made waves globally with the song, which debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2022. This made her the first African female artist to reach the top of the chart. Her performance on Wait For U has also earned her a Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance.
The achievement reflects not only Tems’ extraordinary talent but also the growing global influence of Afrobeats and African artists. From her breakout feature on Wizkid’s Essence to her solo projects, including her acclaimed debut album Born in the Wild, Tems has steadily transformed into an international music powerhouse, setting new benchmarks for Nigerian artists worldwide.
🚨 Tems becomes the FIRST Nigerian female artist to have a single sell over 10 MILLION units in the US with "WAIT FOR U" 🔥👏🏽 pic.twitter.com/c3sunlCygY
— 𝗔𝗟𝗕𝗨𝗠 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞𝗦 📀 (@AlbumTalksHQ) September 30, 2025
Get Fresh updates from NotJustOk as they drop via X and Facebook
