Love Is A Kingdom is a polished deep dive into her emotionally perceptive approach to music, blending Afro-Pop and R&B in ways that are both inventive and uniquely her own.
By Abioye Damilare Samson
Tems has always been the girl on fire. Since the breakout success of “Try Me” in 2019 and the seismic impact of her debut EP, For Broken Ears, in 2020, she has moved at a velocity most artistes never reach in a lifetime. From co-writing for Rihanna to contributing to Beyoncé’s Renaissance, from Grammy wins to an Oscar nomination, the Nigerian superstar has become a defining voice in contemporary R&B and Afro-Pop, all while maintaining an artistic sensibility that refuses to compromise.
Her 2024 debut album, Born in the Wild, was a flawless declaration of arrival, and its stripped-down, 90s-leaning palette granted Tems the calmness and room to explore her deepest emotions.
Yet, beyond the magnitude of her achievements, from the accolades to the sold-out tours, Tems has remained an artiste shaped by introspection. She writes about love, longing, loss, heartbreak, and self-discovery from a place of lived experience and emotional honesty. On Love Is A Kingdom, her surprise seven-track EP—which she primarily self-produces, with additional contributions from AOD, LONDON, and GuiltyBeatz—Tems deepens that exploration and explores love from different emotional vantage points.
She leans fully into the melancholy and soulful reflections that inspired—and ultimately shaped—her earliest releases. On Love Is A Kingdom’s opener, “First”, this becomes immediately evident. Over a thumping Afro-Pop beat threaded with brooding melodies, Tems sings about loving herself first: “That’s why I put me fir-fir-fir-first/ And every single day, I’m coming for first, fir-first”. The track crackles with the energy of someone who has outgrown old versions of herself. She doubles down on that confidence with lines like, “They know I’m different, different/ All because I’m moving different, different/ They can’t stop me now, I’m different, different.” Yet, it’s the song’s rhythm and delivery that reward repeated listens, buoyed by Tems’ crisp, intuitive production.
The groovy tempo of “I’m Not Sure” blends jazz elements with Afro-Pop rhythm and places Tems in a space where she approaches love with tender naïveté. Much of the song’s emotional weight comes from her uncertainty about her lover’s intentions: “I’m not sure (I’m not sure)/ You wanna see me?/ Come and find me/ Mi amor (Mi amor)/ If you want it, come and take it/ Don’t be lazy”, she croons on the chorus. It’s a delicate push-and-pull, with Tems reaching out while still guarding her heart, while allowing the song’s vulnerability to linger long.
On the GuiltyBeatz-produced “Big Daddy”, Tems pivots into a sharper, more confrontational direction while keeping the same atmospheric texture that shaped Love Is A Kingdom’s intro, “First”. It is the perfect backdrop for Tems to reclaim her power with a mix of wit, restraint, and confidence.
Lagos has long inspired Nigerian artistes, from Ayra Starr’s 2024 track, “Lagos Love Story”, to Show Dem Camp’s 2024 project, No Love in Lagos. Tems adds her own imprint on this lineage with “Lagos Love”, riding bright guitar strings and slipping into soft, assured melodies as she lays her emotions bare and demands sincerity. “How many days in a month are you thinking of me?/ By you, say it, baby, don’t be easy on me/ Baby, calm down, clear your mind, let me know you want me”, she sings, her supple voice balancing tenderness with a steady insistence on genuine connection.
The emotional candour of “Lagos Love” extends into “Mine”, where she unreservedly speaks her mind and professes her love without holding back and rides confidently over heavy, pounding kicks. For Tems, love exists in many phases. She has captured its lighter, fluttering moments, conveying the thrill and exhilaration of infatuation, but on the R&B-tinged “What You Need”, she explores its deeper, more confessional side. Her expression is unrestrained and raw, revealing vulnerability, frustration, and the self-awareness of someone navigating the complex, introspective layers of a relationship.
Love Is A Kingdom ends with “Is There a Reason”, a solemn, acoustic piece carried by gentle guitar riffs and Tems’s angelic vocals. She reflects on love in its most vulnerable and questioning form, letting her uncertainty spill through lines like “Oh-ooh, ooh, is there a reason?/ Why did you love me like this?” The way she poses these questions feels like a search for meaning in a love that once lifted her high, only to leave her suspended in doubt. It’s a tender, contemplative closer, one that leaves the EP drifting on an unresolved yearning.
When asked about the inspiration behind Love Is A Kingdom, Tems revealed that she writes about whatever she feels most strongly, channelling her personal experiences and emotions into her music. This honesty shapes the project, with each track offering an intimate glimpse into her thoughts and the complexity of her feelings.
From the confident self-assurance of “First” to the tender vulnerability of “Is There A Reason”, Love Is A Kingdom EP drifts through a rich emotional landscape that captures love in all its thrills and introspection.
The crisp, polished, and pristine production throughout Love Is A Kingdom elevates these emotional narratives, and it allows Tems’ voice to glide, soar, and intimate with perfect clarity. While Tems’ self-production is impressive, the contributions from collaborators like AOD, LONDON, and especially GuiltyBeatz stand out. Her chemistry with GuiltyBeatz, first cemented during their work on the If Orange Is a Place EP in 2021, is palpable throughout Love Is A Kingdom, producing beats that respond intuitively to her vocal phrasing and craft sonic spaces that allow Tems’ storytelling to shine, while giving each track a distinctive, memorable texture
Love Is A Kingdom is, ultimately, Tems’ exploration of the many faces of love: its euphoria, uncertainty, longing, and heartbreak. It is a polished deep dive into her emotionally perceptive approach to music, blending Afro-Pop and R&B in ways that are both inventive and uniquely her own.
Lyricism – 1.4
Tracklisting – 1.4
Sound Engineering – 1.7
Vocalisation – 1.5
Listening Experience – 1.5
Rating – 7.5/10
Abioye Damilare Samson is a music journalist and culture writer focused on the African entertainment industry. His works have appeared in Afrocritik, Republic NG, NATIVE Mag, Newlines Magazine, The Nollywood Reporter, Culture Custodian, 49th Street, and more. Connect with him on Twitter and IG: @Dreyschronicle