Tems has officially surpassed 40 million monthly listeners on Spotify for the very first time. This milestone not only represents a personal best for the Nigerian star, it also places her as the most listened to African artist on the platform right now and ties Rema for the most in African history.
Just weeks ago, Tems had already taken the lead as Africa’s most streamed monthly artist after surpassing South African star Tyla with over 38 million listeners. At the time, she was closing in on the 40 million mark, a figure that had previously stood as the benchmark for African artists on Spotify. Today, that ceiling has been shattered.
This surge has been driven by a combination of strategic collaborations and the sustained appeal of her catalog. Records like Free Mind, Me & U and Higher continue to pull strong streaming numbers years after release, while her global collaboration ‘Raindance” can be said to be the main catalyst of this surge. Dave and Tems’ “Raindance” earns Platinum certification in the UK
Numbers aside, what makes this moment particularly significant is what it represents culturally. With Tems labelled to be Africa’s biggest music export. Is Tems the Biggest Musical Export from Africa? This latest milestone seems to give more weight to that claim.
From the breakout impact of For Broken Ears to the global resonance of Born in the Wild, she has cultivated a sound that travels effortlessly across borders and kept its identity. That balance is rare, and it is a key reason why her audience continues to grow at such an impressive rate.
It is also worth noting that Tems remains one of the most streamed female artists on Spotify, with billions of streams across her catalog and collaborations. A major force within the global streaming ecosystem.
Crossing 40 million monthly listeners is more than a statistic; It is a statement. For Tems, this is just another road sign on her journey to greatness.