June 21, 2024 – New York, NY – Nigerian singer-songwriter Tems has made an impressive debut with her first full-length album, “Born in the Wild,” which has landed 11 tracks on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs Chart. The album, released under Since ’93/RCA Records, has resonated strongly with listeners, achieving notable chart positions across various genres.
The chart, dated June 22, marks the album’s initial entries, showcasing Tems’ genre-blending sound that has captured the attention of both fans and industry insiders. During its first week, “Born in the Wild” recorded 16,000 equivalent album units in the U.S., according to Luminate. This strong debut also saw the album enter the Top R&B Albums chart at No. 5 and the Billboard 200 at No. 56.
The standout single “Love Me Jeje” has climbed from 4th to 3rd place, becoming the highest-charting track from the album on the U.S. streaming and sales charts. On the Afrobeats Songs chart, it is the most streamed track this week, garnering 3.2 million official U.S. streams, a significant 32% increase from the previous week.
“Free Fall,” a collaboration with J. Cole, is another highlight, debuting at No. 5 and leading the 11 new entries from “Born in the Wild.” Below is a summary of the album’s current positions on the U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart:
- No. 3: “Love Me Jeje”
- No. 5: “Free Fall,” featuring J. Cole
- No. 6: “Me & U”
- No. 12: “Wickedest”
- No. 13: “Get It Right,” featuring Asake
- No. 15: “Born in the Wild”
- No. 16: “Unfortunate”
- No. 17: “Gangsta”
- No. 20: “Forever”
- No. 22: “Hold On”
- No. 23: “Turn Me Up”
- No. 24: “T-Unit”
- No. 25: “You in My Face”
In addition to her own album’s success, Tems also appears on Tyla’s track “No. 1,” which, despite falling from No. 13 to No. 18, continues to hold a place on the Afrobeats chart.
“Born in the Wild” has been highly anticipated, especially after Tems’ breakthrough as a featured artist on Wizkid’s “Essence.” The remix of this track, featuring Justin Bieber, reached No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2021, marking a significant milestone for the Afrobeats genre. Since then, Tems has been featured on major collaborations, including Drake’s “Fountains” and Future’s “Wait for U,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100.
Her solo work also continues to gain traction, with her 2020 EP track “Free Mind” experiencing a resurgence in popularity. The song topped the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart for 22 weeks in 2022-23 and was named the top track on the year-end chart for 2023.
As Tems’ influence in the music industry grows, her debut album’s success on the charts signifies a bright future for the artist and for the continued rise of Afrobeats on the global stage.