Grammy-winning artist, Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has called on the global community to transcend stereotypes and delve into the diverse cultures of Africa, beginning with Nigeria and Ghana.
In an interview with Fashion Bomb Daily during the 2025 Met Gala in New York, Tems invited international visitors to experience Lagos and Ghana firsthand to gain a genuine perspective on life in Africa.
She emphasised that the true allure of Africa is found in its vibrant cultures and artistic expressions.
She said, “I always encouraged people to go to Lagos and Ghana for vacation. Just go and see for yourself before you make an opinion [about Africa]. See it for yourself and see how you feel.
“I think it [the beauty of Africa] is in the creativity, the daily efforts, the looks, the songs, the traditions and the cultures.”
Tems also spoke about how diverse African music is, contrary to the global perception that it is just Afrobeats.
“We [Africans] can go further in every single aspect of sound. We are not just Afrobeats. There is Amapiano, Afrosoul, R&B, Afro Jazz. There are so many genres in African music that people are not all the way tapped into yet,” the singer said.