// Photo by Umar Azad

'Born in the Wild' Concert Review

Temilade Openiyi, better known as Tems, hit the stage at Boston University’s Agganis Arena on September 11, 2024, bringing blossoms of hope, nostalgia, and euphoria from an agrestal stage. Her anthems captivated the audience, with adoring fans locked into every beat during this stop of her Born in the Wild tour.

4 years after her debut EP For Broken Ears, Tems has established herself as one of Africa’s most streamed artists, surpassing two billion streams across all music credits on Spotify. Her iconic sound, influenced by West Africa’s alté scene, R&B, neo-soul, hip-hop, dancehall, and afrobeats, has become a defining force in the new wave of Afropop.

Her rise to fame began in Lagos, Nigeria, where she debuted “Mr. Rebel” in 2018. She was propelled to the global spotlight in 2020 after the success of her song “Essence” with Wizkid and her debut EP, For Broken Ears. The singer, songwriter and producer has since attracted the attention of world-renowned artists and critical acclaim. In 2022, Future enlisted Tems’ amber-toned vocals on his first #1 Billboard hit, "Wait for You," which won her a Grammy for Best Melodic Rap Performance. That same year, Tems contributed to the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack, co-writing “Lift Me Up” with Rihanna and delivering a powerful rendition of Bob Marley's "No Woman No Cry." Tems has continued to make waves with high-profile collaborations, including her appearance on Beyoncé’s Renaissance album alongside Grace Jones on the industrial dancehall track “Move.”

Survival’s Dawn — the Night Begins

The clear Boston skies have gently faded from evening into night, casting a warm glow over Boston University’s campus. Students stroll through the open spaces, chatting in clusters or lounging on benches, savoring the crisp air. Approaching Agganis Arena, traffic builds, and crowds fill the stadium. Inside, audience members begin to fill up the rows. The energy is high. Fans stylishly cool themselves with Tems-branded fans, while flickers of light from disposable cameras capture the early moments of the night.

Lekan, hailing from Columbus, Ohio, opened the show with his soothing R&B sound fused with notes of soul, pop, and trap. Humbly taking the stage alongside his musical partner and guitarist Subroza, Lekan performed a selection from his discography, including “Familiar” and “On Me.” After expressing "deep gratitude" for the experience and giving "thanks to God," Lekan parted the stage leaving the crowd eagerly buzzing for what was to come next.

// Lekan opens for Tems at the Boston stop of her 2024 "Born in the Wild" tour. Photo by Umar Azad

Into the Wild — Setting the Stage 

Almost a month into the North American leg of Tems’ Born in the Wild Tour, her Born in the Wild tour marks a milestone in Tems’ musical career. The tour is named after her latest album, which she released in June of this year. In interviews with the GRAMMYS and NPR, she dives into the concept of the album and its themes of survival and self-actualization. 

Much of her set consisted of simple performance, and the stage paid homage to the wilderness theme, with tall wild grass encircling the band. Throughout the night, the backdrop shifted from heavenly golden sunsets to soft red clouds to starry skies stretched over vast savannah plains. Tems rocked a sequined black jumpsuit, accessorized with a bold crystal necklace and chunky silver bangles to match. She glistened under the stage lights with glitter shimmering off of her as she commanded the stage with every move.

// Tems runs the stage at Boston's Agganis Arena. Photo by Umar Azad

Tems Unleashed — An Evolution Through Time

Tems connected with the crowd throughout the show, making highly memorable moments. At one point, the guitarist stripped back her song “Found” to a delicate fingerpicking arrangement while Tems freestyled and playfully teased the audience, declaring that she was “looking for my gangster.” In another touching moment, after encouraging a young girl with, “don’t be shy, Olu,” the girl confidently sang along to “Found,” earning cheers from the crowd.

As the night drew to a close, Tems made her second declaration to the audience: “I'm a lover girl at heart, and I wrote this love song for you.” She then launched into “Love Me JeJe,” the standout track from the Born in the Wild album, drawing even more cheers from the swaying crowd. Approaching the finale, Tems performed her critically acclaimed hit “Free Mind”, with the audience singing along to the bridge:

To set me free

Freer than the open mind

Farther than the eyes can handle

Freer than the ocean now yeah, yeah

So set me free

Now I need to find release

Set me to the open sky

Now I need to free my mind yeah, yeah

As Afropop and global genres in general gain traction in the United States, Tems stands at the forefront of a new wave of artists who defy traditional musical labels, uniting fans through heartfelt storytelling and emotional rawness. Her music transcends sound; the experience reverberates through crowded venues, packed floors, and audiences swaying and dancing to every beat. Tems' true gift lies in her ability to fuse movement with spirituality and universal love, creating a connection that lingers long after the final note.

// Tems strikes a pose besides her backup vocalists. Photo by Umar Azad

With special thanks to Boston University’s Agganis Arena team for facilitating the coverage, and to WHRB Ghost, Heavyn Lee (/B*DDY) for her guidance on the piece.

// Umar Azad ’25 is a staff writer for The Darker Side.