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Tems Delivers Angelic Performance of ‘Not an Angel’ at Billboard Women in Music 2024
Tems may claim she’s “Not an Angel” in her latest single, but on Wednesday night (March 6), she certainly looked the part when she performed it at the Billboard Women in Music event.
The Nigerian singer-songwriter and producer graced the stage at the YouTube Theater in Inglewood, Calif., draped in a stunning white bedazzled hooded dress, with smoke billowing from beneath her, creating a mesmerizing, flowing train effect. “Not an Angel” stands as one of two singles Tems released last year, following “Me & U” by two months. In her Women in Music profile, she reassured fans that her highly anticipated debut album “is 1,000% coming out this year.”
Following her captivating performance, Tems was presented with the Breakthrough Award by Savannah James, who expressed that Future’s Grammy-winning Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit “Wait for U,” featuring Drake and Tems, is her personal favorite. Tems confessed she had prepared a speech for the evening but admitted, “I have forgotten everything completely,” prompting a fan to shout, “You’re the best!” followed by more applause. She went on to express her gratitude, highlighting the significance of being surrounded by amazing women and feeling the support of her continent and the people in the room.
Tems dedicated her award to “the first woman I ever met,” her mother, who defied Yoruba tradition by choosing her daughter’s name Témìládè Openiyi—a role typically reserved for the father’s side of the family—because “God told me,” as Tems’ mother explained on For Broken Ears’ “Témìládè Interlude.”