Tems, for one of the most significant moments in her career, enlisted the support of one of the biggest pop stars — Justin Bieber. During her performance at Coachella 2024 on Sunday night (April 14), the Nigerian singer-songwriter and producer surprised the audience by inviting Bieber and Wizkid to join her on stage for a rendition of their popular track "Essence."
Before the performance, Tems teased her fans with a hint, posting, “Coachella! I’m too exciteddd I have a surprise tonight,” on X.
Originally released in 2020 and featuring Bieber and fellow Afrobeats sensation Wizkid, "Essence" gradually gained traction, making its mark on Billboard’s charts nine months post-release. Tems achieved a significant milestone in September 2021 when "Essence" dominated Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, creating history in the process. The track also made its way onto the Billboard Hot 100, ultimately reaching the top 10 (peaking at No. 9), marking the first Afrobeats song to achieve such a feat.
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Bieber, known for his chart-topping success, made history himself at 27 by becoming the youngest solo artist ever to have 100 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, a milestone he reached in 2021.
Despite revealing his diagnosis with Ramsay Hunt syndrome in June 2022, experiencing "full paralysis" on one side of his face, the "Stay" singer appeared unaffected as he effortlessly moved around the Coachella stage on Sunday night.
Here is a video from the performance.
Bieber's performance is bound to ignite excitement among Beliebers and inspire anticipation for more live shows following his health challenges, which led to the cancellation of his 2022 Justice World Tour.
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Earlier this year, the anticipation surged when Bieber surprised fans with a brief set of classics and recent hits at Drake’s intimate downtown club, History, hinting at forthcoming new music.
Tems, honored as Billboard’s 2024 Women in Music Breakthrough recipient, shared a powerful message with reporters before the event: “I really want to use this opportunity to say to all the women in the room, in the world, that no matter what you’re going through, you should know you’re not alone. So even when you’re sad, even when you’re angry, there’s someone that’s angry, too. So uplift everybody around you because they need that like you and somebody’s there for you,” she concluded her speech. “It’s the women that got the women, trust me.”
Reflecting on her journey, she previously shared with Billboard, "everybody just called me Temi. Nobody really called me by my full name. It wasn’t something that was on my mind. It’s only now, as an adult, that I started realizing that it meant ‘the crown is mine.’ I think that’s really powerful. It feels manifested, based on how my life has gone."
Tyler, the Creator, Doja Cat, and Lana Del Rey take the lead as headliners for the 2024 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. This weekend marks the first of two weekends for Coachella 2024, set in the Southern California desert.
