Nigerian Grammy-winning artist Temilade Openiyi, known professionally as Tems, has called on the international community to experience African culture firsthand before forming opinions about the continent.

Speaking to Fashion Bomb Daily during the prestigious 2025 Met Gala in New York, the "Love Me Jeje" hitmaker emphasized the importance of authentic experiences over common misconceptions about Africa.

"I always encouraged people to go to Lagos and Ghana for vacation. Just go and see for yourself before you make an opinion [about Africa]," Tems stated. "See it for yourself and see how you feel."

The internationally acclaimed singer highlighted that Africa's true essence lies in its dynamic cultural expressions. "I think it [the beauty of Africa] is in the creativity, the daily efforts, the looks, the songs, the traditions and the cultures," she explained.

Tems also addressed misconceptions about African music, challenging the global perception that reduces the continent's diverse soundscape to just Afrobeats.

"We [Africans] can go further in every single aspect of sound. We are not just Afrobeats. There is Amapiano, Afrosoul, R&B, Afro Jazz," she elaborated. "There are so many genres in African music that people are not all the way tapped into yet."

The interview comes as Tems celebrates two nominations for the upcoming 2025 BET Awards in the BET Her category for her tracks "Burning" and "Hold On," both from her debut album "Born In The Wild."

Fellow Nigerian artist Ayra Starr leads African nominees with three nods: Best Female R&B/Pop Artist, Best New Artist, and Best International Act. Other Nigerian stars including Burna Boy, Rema, and Shallipopi have also secured nominations.

The African presence at the BET Awards extends beyond Nigeria, with South Africa's Tyla and Uncle Waffles, Ghana's Black Sherif, and Tanzania's Abigail Chams all receiving nominations in various categories.

Tems, who gained global recognition after collaborating with international stars including Beyoncé, Drake, and Future, continues to use her platform to challenge stereotypes and showcase the richness of African cultural heritage on the world stage.