The Nigerian musician also performed her recent single, “Love Me JeJe”
Tems brought an expansive live band along with her to record an episode of NPR’s Tiny Desk concert series. The musician performed a five-song set, highlighting tracks from her forthcoming LP, Born in the Wild, with the help of five musicians and three backup vocalists.
The Nigerian singer-songwriter kicked things off with “Me & U” and “Ice T” before showcasing “Unfortunate,” “Forever,” and “Love Me JeJe,” the new album’s debut single. Throughout the performance, Tems described each track, including “Unfortunate,” which had previously never been heard and will appear on Born in the Wild.
“It’s basically me being a victim from an unfortunate situation,” she explained of the song, which she called “really special.”
Born in the Wild arrives six years after Tems dropped her debut single, 2018’s “Mr. Rebel.” She’s since enjoyed several hits of her own, like 2020’s “Damages” and 2022’s “Free Mind,” and made memorable features on Wizkid’s 2021 smash “Essence” and 2022’s “Wait for U,” with Future and Drake.
Tems released her first EP, For Broken Ears, in 2020, then followed it up in 2021 with If Orange Was a Place. Last year, she shared a pair of new tracks, “Me & U” and “Not an Angel.”
The singer recently appeared on The Tonight Show to perform a medley of “Love Me JeJe” and “Born in the Wild.” In April, Tems announced the album with a short trailer, which featured a snippet of the title track. “This is my most special moment. Everything I have I put into this,” Tems shared on social media as she unveiled the official title, release date, and artwork for Born in the Wild. “Thank you all so much for believing in me.”