When Afrobeats artistes were dropping songs and albums back to back this year (and what a year it has been for the genre!), the major conversation was “Where is Tems?” The two-time Grammy winner seemed to have slipped away from the music scene since the release of her critically acclaimed debut album Born in the Wild in 2024. And although she made appearances on songs with British rapper Dave and South African artiste CIZA, it still wasn’t enough. Like a thief in the night, Tems dropped her third EP Love is a Kingdom on November 21, 2025. A surprise to her fans, but certainly not to the singer who must have planned her music comeback this way—unprepared yet intentional.
On Love is a Kingdom, she explores themes of love, faith, and heartbreak in seven songs that take approximately nineteen minutes of listening. The singer moves through Afrobeats productions and drum-heavy beats with the signature voice that has made her one of the most successful artistes to come from Nigeria. The EP unfolds like a story about how Tems hesitated to give love a chance, eventually did, and then it blew up in her face. No wonder the EP is titled Love is a Kingdom, because as kingdoms are built on solid foundations, they can just as easily collapse.
The album’s opener, “First,” invites listeners to see life through her eyes. She shares a bit about her life in the public eye and how she intends to start putting herself first. She also reflects on her faith, stating that “without God I’m nobody.” Tems has been openly vocal about her Christian beliefs, and that continues to shape her music. In “I’m Not Sure,” she becomes more vulnerable about her love life, possibly addressing a potential suitor while expressing her hesitation to dive headfirst into a relationship, yet still urging him to “come and find me.” She also lists the qualities she values: honesty, punctuality, and integrity.
“Big Daddy,” the EP’s lead single, feels curated for radio airplay and nothing else. It contrasts sharply with the love story Tems attempts to build across the project. The lyrics differ from her usual style (“Big Daddy, what’s the deal Daddy?” is not the Tems that captured hearts since 2018), but the song is a headbop. Questionable songwriting, but catchy nonetheless.
The love story continues with Tems romanticizing life and relationships in Lagos, the city she grew up in. Her suitor is likely Lagosian (if there even is one or if he was created for artistic effect), and she gives in to his advances on “Lagos Love.” She even drops the “L” word to signal the sincerity of her intentions. Her declaration carries into “Mine,” where she marks her territory, claiming her lover as exclusively hers. The 56 repeated uses of the word “mine” make that very clear.
However, the house of cards comes crashing down in “What You Need.” Described as a crisis, the love affair ends as Tems explains why it can’t continue and why his love “is not her home.” It is the standout track of the EP, showcasing her strongest vocal performance over melancholic production that mirrors her emotional turmoil. Heartbreak often brings out the best in artistes, and here it certainly does. She delivers heartbreak pop with an R&B edge, and it works beautifully. “Is There a Reason” wraps the story neatly. After chopping breakfast, she questions the unraveling of the relationship through riveting falsettos. The answer seems to lie with her ex-lover, who she suggests has a “spirit” she can’t comprehend.
Love is a Kingdom is undoubtedly Tems’ 2025 comeback, but it doesn’t introduce anything dramatically new. The themes may differ from For Broken Ears and If Orange Was a Place, but they follow a familiar pattern. Tems, knowingly or not, keeps her vocal style within a narrow range, making new songs echo those she has released before. While this isn’t necessarily negative since many artistes intentionally remain in a safe creative zone, it would be refreshing to hear her venture into more genres without losing her R&B–Afrobeats identity. Her voice is exceptional, and with the right push, it could evolve even further.
Tems may have intended Love is a Kingdom to prioritize the arts over chart performance, but it still strengthened her streaming profile. She is currently the Nigerian artiste with the most Spotify listeners, at 23.8 million and counting. The EP is good, the clean and cohesive kind of good, but Tems has the potential to break free from her current artistic evolution chains and soar.