Tems makes history at FIFA halftime show
Thirty-year-old Nigerian RnB and Afrobeats star, Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, made history on Sunday by performing at the first-ever FIFA Halftime Show.
Advocacy Times reports that the singer, songwriter, and producer performed during the halftime of the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup final.
The final featured English Premier League team Chelsea and French Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain at the MetLife Stadium in New York.
Tems led the groundbreaking halftime performance, which was separately presented by Panini, alongside J Balvin, Doja Cat, and Emmanuel Kelly.
For the first time, a FIFA stadium transformed into a major concert-scale venue for the Panini-presented halftime show.
A special stage built in the upper stands hosted the show, preserving the pitch for the second half of the historic match.
Tems rose to fame in 2020 after featuring on Wizkid’s hit single “Essence”, which peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100.
The remix of ‘Essence’ featuring Justin Bieber earned Tems a Grammy nomination and international recognition.
That same year, she appeared on ‘Fountains’, a track by Canadian rapper Drake, further boosting her global profile.
Advocacy Times reports that 81,118 spectators witnessed the final at MetLife Stadium, the highest-ever attendance for a FIFA match.