Grammy-winning Nigerian singer Temilade Openiyi, known globally as Tems, has officially made history as the first African female artist to secure a Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) Diamond-certified single in the United States.
The monumental milestone was reached on Friday, July 17, 2026, when global music monitoring platform Chart Data confirmed that the hit record “Wait For U”, a collaboration by American rapper Future featuring Drake and Tems—surpassed the coveted 10 million unit sales threshold in the U.S., ultimately tracking at an impressive 11x Platinum (11 million units).
With this certification, Tems joins Afrobeats icon Wizkid as the only African artists ever to achieve a Diamond single in the United States. Wizkid previously reached the milestone for his guest feature on Drake’s global smash “One Dance.”
The achievement further solidifies Tems’ position as an international powerhouse. Alongside the Diamond plaque, data shows she has now surpassed 20.5 million RIAA-certified units across her entire catalog in the U.S., which includes multi-platinum hits like “Essence” (5x Platinum) and “Free Mind” (2x Platinum).
Since capturing global attention with her distinctive, soulful vocals and masterclass songwriting, the Lagos-born singer-songwriter has continuously broken ground for African women in the music industry. The announcement triggered an outpouring of celebrations across social media from fans and music industry peers alike, who hailed the feat as a monumental victory for Afrobeats and the broader African creative economy.
The historic RIAA update marks another definitive chapter in Tems’ soaring career, underscoring the unstoppable global influence of contemporary African music.
