Nigeria’s Tems has returned with the new single “Me & U,” her first new material in two years.
Tems started gaining more traction in the US in partial thanks to “Wait for U,” the 2022 single from Future that featured her along with Drake. But “Me & U” proves Tems can hold it down on her own, existing somewhere between a traditional pop ballad and a clubby Afrobeats banger.
On the surface, “Me & U” feels like a pretty clear-cut love song, as Tems sings of companionship and full surrender: “I don’t need nothing/ You are my everything,” she coos over a gently-strummed electric guitar. But it’s not exactly a love song in the traditional sense, instead focusing on the connection between the self and the divine.
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“‘Me & U’ is about discovering the real me, building a genuine relationship with the Creator, and gaining a true perception of self,” Tems says in a press release. She also directed the track’s serene music video, which sees her dancing both by the ocean at dusk and in a dark forest — two good places for getting in touch with your spiritual side. Check it out below.
Tems’ last solo release was her 2021 EP If Orange Was a Place. Since then, she also co-wrote Rihanna’s comeback single from last year “Lift Me Up.”