Temilade Openiyi, also known as Tems has won ‘Best International Act’ at the 2022 BET Awards, becoming the first African woman to win in that category.
KAMPALA | NOW THEN DIGITAL — Temilade Openiyi, who goes by the stage name Tems, won the ‘Best International Act’ award at the 2022 BET Awards, making her the first African woman to win in the category.
- During Sunday’s awards show, she became the first African woman to win the category. Her hit collaboration “Essence” with Wizkid launched her to international fame in 2021.
- Tems dedicated her award to all young women striving for their dreams, in a statement seen on nowthendigital.com after receiving the award.
- The hit record ‘Esence’ by Wizkid won ‘Best Collaboration’ at the BET Awards 2022.
- The BET Awards, which celebrated excellence in music, culture, and sports, were held on Sunday at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
- Read also: The Nigerian singer Tems has cancelled Birmingham and London shows because she has reflux laryngitis.
A series of international hits have helped Nigeria’s Tems gain a foothold in the music world.
Her contributions to Wizkid’s ‘Essence’ song that was tagged the “summer song of the year 2021” and her appearance on Drake’s ‘Certified Lover Boy’ album helped her gain widespread acclaim.
Tems is currently Nigeria’s largest export. nowthendigital.com takes a closer look at her success.
The 27-year-old Nigerian singer Tems, born Temilade Openiyi, won the Best International Act award at the 2022 BET Awards on Sunday night.
In the category of Best International Act, Nigerian singer Tems beat out other nominees like Tayc, Dave from the UK and Dinos from France.
Other nominees were FireBoy DML from Nigeria, Ludmilla, a Brazilian singer, and Major League DJZ from South Africa.
During the ceremony, Tems urged young girls to continue with their careers and pursue their dreams.
“Thank you so much for this, thank you so much. It’s an honour… I mean, this is my first award show that I’m winning something and I just want to use this as an opportunity to speak to every single young, old, whatever, every single woman watching this, every single girl watching this at home.”
“Where I’m from, things like this don’t happen.”
Wizkid’s Essence
With Essence, Wizkid has added another award to his resume, as the hit song has won ‘Best collaboration’ at the 2022 BET Awards.
The version of Essence that won the award for Best Collaboration was the version that included Tems and Bieber, which was released in 2021 after the original release.
On Sunday, the BET Awards 2022 ceremony was held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, celebrating African American excellence in music, culture, and sports.
Check out the complete list of BET Awards 2022 winners.
Album of the year
- WINNER: An Evening With Silk Sonic, Silk Sonic
- Back of My Mind, H.E.R.
- Call Me If You Get Lost, Tyler, The Creator
- Certified Lover Boy, Drake
- Donda, Kanye West
- Heaux Tales, Mo’ Tales: The Deluxe, Jazmine Sullivan
- Planet Her, Doja Cat
Best female R&B/pop artist
- Ari Lennox
- Chlöe
- Doja Cat
- H.E.R.
- WINNER: Jazmine Sullivan
- Mary J. Blige
- Summer Walker
Best male R&B/pop artist
- Blxst
- Chris Brown
- Givēon
- Lucky Daye
- WINNER: The Weeknd
- Wizkid
- Yung Bleu
Best female hip hop artist
- Cardi B
- Doja Cat
- Latto
- WINNER: Megan Thee Stallion
- Nicki Minaj
- Saweetie
Best male hip hop artist
- Drake
- Future
- J. Cole
- Jack Harlow
- Kanye West
- WINNER: Kendrick Lamar
- Lil Baby
Best group
- WINNER: Silk Sonic
- Chlöe X Halle
- City Girls
- Lil Baby & Lil Durk
- Migos
- Young Dolph & Key Glock
Best collaboration
- WINNER: “Essence,” Wizkid Feat. Justin Bieber & Tems
- “Every Chance I Get,” DJ Khaled Feat. Lil Baby & Lil Durk
- “Family Ties,” Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar
- “Kiss Me More,” Doja Cat Feat. SZA
- “Way 2 Sexy,” Drake Feat. Future & Young Thug
- “Whole Lotta Money” (Remix), Bia Feat. Nicki Minaj
Best new artist
- Baby Keem
- Benny the Butcher
- WINNER: Latto
- Muni Long
- Tems
- Yung Bleu
Video of the year
- WINNER: “Family Ties,” Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar
- “Have Mercy,” Chlöe
- “Kiss Me More,” Doja Cat Feat. SZA
- “Pressure,” Ari Lennox
- “Smokin Out the Window,” Silk Sonic
- “Way 2 Sexy,” Drake Feat. Future & Young Thug
Video director of the year
- WINNER: Anderson .Paak a.k.a. Director .Paak
- Benny Boom
- Beyoncé & Dikayl Rimmasch
- Director X
- Hype Williams
- Missy Elliott
Dr. Bobby Jones best gospel/inspirational award
- “All in Your Hands,” Marvin Sapp
- “Come to Life,” Kanye West
- “Grace.” Kelly Price
- “Hallelujah,” Fred Hammond
- “Hold Us Together (Hope Mix),” H.E.R. & Tauren Wells
- “Jireh,” Elevation Worship & Maverick City Music
- WINNER: “We Win,” Lil Baby X Kirk Franklin
BET Her
- “Best of Me (Originals),” Alicia Keys
- WINNER: “Good Morning Gorgeous,” Mary J. Blige
- “Have Mercy,” Chlöe
- “Pressure,” Ari Lennox
- “Roster,” Jazmine Sullivan
- “Unloyal,” Summer Walker & Ari Lennox
- “Woman,” Doja Cat
Best international act
- Dave (U.K.)
- Dinos (France)
- Fally Ipupa (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
- Fireboy DML (Nigeria)
- Little Simz (U.K.)
- Ludmilla (Brazil)
- Major League DJz (South Africa)
- Tayc (France)
- WINNER: Tems (Nigeria)
Best movie
- Candyman
- WINNER: King Richard
- Respect
- Space Jam: A New Legacy
- Summer of Soul
- The Harder They Fall
Best actor
- Adrian Holmes, Bel Air
- Anthony Anderson, Black-Ish
- Damson Idris, Snowfall
- Denzel Washington, The Tragedy of Macbeth
- Forest Whitaker, Respect | Godfather of Harlem
- Jabari Banks, Bel Air
- Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us
- WINNER: Will Smith, King Richard
Best actress
- Aunjanue Ellis, King Richard
- Coco Jones, Bel Air
- Issa Rae, Insecure
- Jennifer Hudson, Respect
- Mary J. Blige, Power Book II: Ghost
- Queen Latifah, The Equalizer
- Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary
- Regina King, The Harder They Fall
- WINNER: Zendaya, Euphoria | Spider-Man: No Way Home
YoungStars award
- Akira Akbar
- Demi Singleton
- WINNER: Marsai Martin
- Miles Brown
- Saniyya Sidney
- Storm Reid
Sportswoman of the year award
- Brittney Griner
- Candace Parker
- WINNER: Naomi Osaka
- Serena Williams
- Sha’carri Richardson
- Simone Biles
Sportsman of the year award
- Aaron Donald
- Bubba Wallace
- Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Ja Morant
- LeBron James
- WINNER: Stephen Curry