Nigerian singer-songwriter, Tems has surprised fans with the release of a brand-new extended play, Love Is a Kingdom, a compact seven-track project that blends Afrobeats, alt-R&B, soul, and her signature atmospheric introspection.
The EP dropped on Friday without prior announcement, marking a bold return for the artist following her acclaimed 2024 debut album, Born in the Wild. Released under Since ’93 and RCA Records, the new project runs just under 20 minutes yet packs emotional depth and sonic experimentation into every second.
Love Is a Kingdom features seven tracks — “First,” “I’m Not Sure,” “Big Daddy,” “Lagos Love,” “Mine,” “What You Need,” and “Is There a Reason.” According to the project’s press notes, the EP is positioned as an exploration of “love, power, and spiritual clarity,” themes that Tems has continually woven through her music but expands on here with a renewed sense of control and vulnerability. Tems wrote and produced most of the EP herself, further cementing her reputation as one of the most self-driven and creatively forward African artists of her generation.
The focus track, “Big Daddy,” leans into Tems’ strength for reflective storytelling. On the record, she confronts an unreliable lover with soft defiance and emotional curiosity. “Where were you when there was no one around? / Where were you when I needed someone down? / What were you doing when nobody gave a damn?” she sings over a laid-back yet magnetic rhythm. The song captures the familiar tension between expectation and disappointment, a place where Tems often builds her most powerful work.
Although 2025 did not bring much solo output from the singer, Tems remained highly visible through collaborations and high-profile performances. Her year was punctuated by standout features, including a sultry appearance on Dave’s Raindance, a smooth contribution to Omah Lay’s remix of Ciza’s Isaka II, and a notable feature on Justin Bieber’s I Think You’re Special off his SWAG II project. She also appeared on Show Dem Camp’s You Get Me from their Afrika Magik release, reinforcing her influence across genres and continents.
Beyond the studio, Tems maintained a steady performance schedule that kept her global spotlight bright. She performed at Afropunk Brasil on November 9, one of the festival’s biggest draws, bringing her distinctive, slowed-down energy to the vibrant São Paulo stage. She also made a fashion-forward appearance at GQ’s Men of the Year event in London, strengthening her position as both a musical and cultural force.
The release of Love Is a Kingdom serves as the next chapter in Tems’ upward trajectory, following the success of her debut album, Born in the Wild (2024). The album was a major breakthrough, earning a Grammy nomination for Best Global Music Album at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards. It peaked at No. 56 on the Billboard 200, marking the highest chart position ever achieved by a female Nigerian artist at the time. Its standout single, “Love Me Jeje,” went on to win Best African Music Performance, adding another milestone to the singer’s growing list of achievements.
Tems’ rise has been steady and historic. She earned her first Grammy in 2023 for her songwriting contribution to Future’s Wait For U featuring Drake a record that quickly became a global hit. In July 2024, she made history again as the first African artist to perform at a Club World Cup final, further solidifying her international reach and influence.
With Love Is a Kingdom, Tems continues to carve out her own distinct space in the global music landscape. The EP is intimate yet bold, concise yet layered a reminder that Tems isn’t just shaping her sound; she is shaping the future of alternative African music. And once again, she has done it on her own terms.
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