Tems doesn’t perform music…she reveals it. On COLORS, stripped of spectacle and excess, she delivers a quiet yet devastating rendition of “What You Need,” a performance that feels less like a stage moment and more like a confession whispered into the world.
Bathed in COLORS’ signature minimalism, Tems’ voice carries the full weight of longing, imbalance, and emotional truth. No distractions. No armour. Just her, confronting what it means to give love when it isn’t always returned in equal measure. It’s tender, raw, and unavoidably human.
The performance arrives alongside Love Is A Kingdom, Tems’ latest EP, out now via RCA Records/Since ’93. Entirely written, produced, and composed almost fully by Tems herself, the seven-track project reads like a spiritual journal—one that wrestles with love, power, faith, and self-clarity. It’s the sound of an artist choosing herself without apology.
Across tracks like “First,” “I’m Not Sure,” “Big Daddy,” and “Lagos Love,” Tems traces a journey through vulnerability and renewal, confidence and surrender. Love Is A Kingdom doesn’t rush to resolve its questions; instead, it sits with them, breathing deeply through soul, R&B, and Afropop textures that feel both expansive and intimate.
Critics have felt it too. Pitchfork calls the project “a balm,” Rolling Stone describes it as a long-held exhale, and OkayAfrica reminds us why these songs matter right now…because the world needs softness that doesn’t shy away from truth.
With her COLORS performance of “What You Need,” Tems once again proves why her voice resonates far beyond charts and accolades. It’s not just about the music. It’s about presence, intention, and the courage to love loudly, even when it costs something.
This is Tems, standing firmly in her kingdom. Vvulnerable, powerful, and completely her own. - IJ