Madonna. Beyoncé. Adele. Prince. Drake. Very few artists in history have reached the kind of stardom where their first name is enough. But now there’s another – Tems. At just 30 years old, the Nigerian singer, songwriter and producer has already taken home two Grammy Awards and is one of Africa’s most powerful cultural exports.

But while the world knows her for the music, Tems measures success differently.

“Leadership is service,” she tells The CEO Magazine. “For me, it means creating a space where another woman feels seen, heard and equipped to move further than I did.

“Real leadership means asking, ‘Who else can I bring with me?’ and then doing the work to make sure they’re not just in the room but thriving in it.”

Breaking barriers

Tems, born Temilade Openiyi, fell in love with music as a young woman in Lagos but found few doors open to her. There were no mentors, no road map and little access to the tools she needed.

“Early in my career, I navigated the industry largely without a strong support system – self-producing, teaching myself the craft amid scarce resources and limited access,” she reflects.

That early resourcefulness treated her well, carrying her from makeshift home recordings to international collaborations with the likes of industry heavyweights Drake, Wizkid and Beyoncé.

Yet even as her career has soared, she’s remained acutely aware of the barriers still holding women back.

Opening doors

Across the industry, the statistics are sobering. Women make up just 22 percent of artists worldwide, 12.8 percent of songwriters and only three percent of producers.

For Tems, these figures not only hit home, they mirror her own struggles. And they are exactly what her latest venture, the Leading Vibe Initiative (LVI) – a groundbreaking platform created to support women in music – is designed to change.

“LVI was built on the belief: if I open doors, more women will walk through them, and the whole industry levels up,” Tems says. “We weave community into every touchpoint so no-one is climbing alone.”

Images from the first LVI event in Lagos, Nigeria

The first edition, which kicked off in August in Lagos alongside Tems’ Born in the Wild headline show, brought together 20 women: female producers, singers, songwriters and creators. Over two days, they took part in an immersive program designed to expand their skills and networks.

Backed by global partners Hennessy and Native Instruments, the program unfolded across Amah Studios and GAIA Lagos, combining masterclasses, mentorship and hands-on training.

Participants engaged in workshops on songwriting, performance and music production while also hearing from industry leaders about the realities of building a career in a competitive – and often, exclusionary – field.

“Seeing the first group come together in Lagos, support each other and grow through experience, reminded me exactly why this matters,” Tems enthuses. “We’re building pathways for women to lead, thrive and take up space across the global music industry.”

Expanding across borders

The Lagos edition was just the beginning though. With Kenya announced as the next stop, the initiative is steadily building toward a wider pan-African – and ultimately, global – presence.

“My goal with the LVI is to help discover and support talented young women who have the potential to redefine the industry,” Tems explains.

“By providing access, tools and opportunity, we’re creating space for them to find their voices, step into their power and shape the future of music across the continent and globally.”

Tems admits the initiative is one she wished she had access to when first starting out.

“I longed for a sisterhood of women who understood the unique challenges and opportunities within our space,” she reveals.

“Despite the global rise of African music, those structural gaps remain. Launching LVI now is a strategic response to this landscape, designed to build a sustainable, supportive network that accelerates the next generation of female artists, producers and songwriters.”

A word of advice

The motivation to succeed has always been personal. Tems knows firsthand what it means to build a career without a safety net. That’s why her guidance for young women stepping into their own power blends discipline with community.

“Focus relentlessly on mastering your craft,” she urges. “Expertise is your most powerful currency.

“Equally important is cultivating authentic, supportive communities that can champion you, challenge you and navigate the complexities of the industry alongside you.

“Success is rarely solitary. It is a collective journey made possible by shared visions and a strong community of support. Never underestimate the power of lifting others as you rise.”

The weight of influence

While Tems has, indeed, built a career on resilience and raw talent, the most striking thing about it hasn’t been her accolades. What’s most remarkable is how she treats influence as a responsibility.

“LVI is a movement, it’s a network,” she says. “It’s a wave built for women by women, from the continent to the world.”

For CEOs and business leaders, her story offers a challenge: What if leadership isn’t about climbing higher, but about indeed ensuring no-one climbs alone?