As another successful year of festival antics draws to a bittersweet conclusion, there’s no better place for a Metropolitan swan-song than Victoria Park. The East London hotspot has become synonymous with one of the city’s swashbuckling musical extravaganzas – All Points East. A coterie of carefully curated day festivals that block up your diary from mid to late August, this year’s eclectic lineup saw the likes of Loyle Carner, KAYTRANADA and Mitski shine in respective headline slots.

Amongst the esteemed supporting acts on the choc-a-bloc KAYTRANADA all-dayer, global heavyweight Tems could be found. Perhaps one of the festival’s most significant selections for this year’s events, the Lagos-based singer-songwriter and producer boasts a comprehensive list of achievements despite having only just unveiled her debut album. Grammy Award-winning and Oscar nominated, as well as collaborations with totemic names like Drake, Beyoncé and Wizkid under her belt, the 29 year-old is undoubtedly one of the most decorated and sought-after artists of her generation.

Tems’ All Points East showcase is sandwiched between an extensive world tour, with European and UK dates preceding the London outing, and a busy run in the US, Australia and Asia ensuing such. The tour is in support of her aforementioned debut studio album, Born In The Wild, which was released in early June via RCA Records/Since ’93. The LP has been met with fervent critical acclaim and public adoration, and rightly so; a cacophony of colourful grooves, ubiquitous charm and dazzling melody, the œuvre is as compelling as it is entertaining. Tems plays the endearing protagonist, taking the listener on an intimate odyssey from hopeful Nigerian songwriter to world-renowned superstar. Fiercely innovative and sprawlingly serene, Born in the Wild is an undeniable work from one of Africa’s paramount contemporary creatives.

Before heading off on her US tour days later, Tems had one more surprise for London in store – an exclusive show at iconic East London watering hole, Village Underground. The event came courtesy of American Express, who hosted the official All Points East ‘Amex Afters’ which the artist headlined. Designed for Amex Cardmembers and festival-goers to carry the party on deep after Victoria Park’s premature curfew, the night saw DJ support sets from Girls Can’t DJ and Taylah Elaine, free Nigerian food provided by the Flygerians, and the chance for two fans to meet their idol, Tems, following her knockout performance.

In the aftermath of the afters, we connected with Tems to reflect on her All Points East and Amex Afters sets, diving into her performance style and dazzling new record in the process.

Listen to Born In The Wild…

Read the full interview…

How are you? How’s your summer been?
I’ve been on tour, I just finished the European leg. It was really good, the reception was great. I’m really happy with everything so far, the energy is amazing.

I was there for your All Points East Performance at Victoria Park, it was incredible. How did you find it?
All Points East was my final European performance on tour, and it really felt like one of the best crowds I’ve had the pleasure of performing for. It was 45,000 people and the energy and the vibes were great.

The set design was so fun, what was the thought behind that?
The stage design reflects the album title Born In The Wild, which is truly an expression of where I come from. I’m depicting the wilderness and the struggle, but also how to overcome and conquer those difficult situations. It’s a visual journey from sunrise to sunset. It’s also incorporating mirrors, which is the idea of reflection of the wild alongside the makeshift jungle.

Talk us through your own performance.
Everything I’m doing on stage is freehand, it’s not choreographed. I did have dancers at one point, I tried it, but I feel much freer and more natural when I just wing it and go with the energy and the flow. It’s been going really well so far. I’m most comfortable when I can simply express my emotions through my own movement.

The following night you performed at the All Points East Amex Afters at Village Underground. How was that? How did you compare the big festival set to a smaller, intimate gig?
It was a different type of venue. It was cool. I enjoy both and I wouldn’t choose one over the other. Having a big crowd has its pros. My shows end up feeling intimate to me anyway, so even if it’s really big I still feel like it’s intimate.

You’ve played some of the biggest stages in the world – from Coachella to Glastonbury. How do you prepare for such totemic events? How do you mentally ready yourself?
I just take things step by step the whole day, make sure that I have water, make sure that I have honey and tea, and get my warmups done. I try not to talk too much and have a chill day and save all my energy for the stage. I don’t think I feel nervous anymore – I haven’t felt nerves in years to be honest. I have some type of muscle memory now, from doing it so much.

You’re heading off to your US tour this autumn. Are you feeling ready?
Yeah, I’m as ready as I can be. I’m hopeful, excited, and looking forward to it. I’m just taking it step by step, day by day, and enjoying as many moments as I can.

How do you prepare to be out on the road for such a long time, away from your comfort and usual surroundings?
To be honest I haven’t been anywhere for longer than one week. The shortest time I’ve been in one country is a few hours. So I haven’t really felt settled enough, so this is like my default now. But I think the key is always to make sure you’re healthy. Watching your fitness and diet, and checking up on yourself and making sure you’re taking care of yourself. Just showing up for yourself everyday.

What are your tour essentials?
My ankle weights, I wear them everyday. Honey and tea. My earphones, phone and iPad.

You recently released your debut album, Born In The Wild. How was it releasing your first full-length? Did it feel different to releasing smaller bodies of work or singles?
It definitely took more time to work through because there are more songs. And it is a different time, it’s a whole new world. From 2020 to now, music is different, people are different, and people consume music differently. It just feels different, the atmosphere of the world is different. And that affects everybody.

What was the creative process of making the record?
I just allowed myself to explore and go through my journey and see what came out from that experience. I would just wake up in the morning and say ‘okay I’m going to make a song today,’ and it would come out as “Burning” or “Hold On”. I just try and not put too much on it and allowed myself to be as honest as I could.

What does the album represent? How does the name of the album reflect that?
It’s about the journey I’ve been through so far as an artist. It’s about the things that have happened since my last release and my state of mind. It’s just basically about my story from Lagos to the world, and the things that I feel and that I’ve experienced, and everything I had to learn and unlearn to be the woman I am today; the story of my evolution. It’s about the conditions that I was created in, and the conditions the album was created in. It’s just the narration of all the experiences I’ve faced since coming out of Lagos and being this artist called Tems.

What’s next for you?
I’ve got the US tour, then Australia and Asia, and then I’m going to rest. Then we’ll see.

Tems headlined American Express presents Amex Afters – the official after party of Uber One presents All Points East. The star performed a special live set during the intimate gig at East London’s iconic Village Underground. To find out how you can get more from the music you love, search Why Amex.