ALBUM REVIEW: Tems lives up to superstar status in ‘Born in the Wild’

Tems‘ long-awaited debut album titled ‘Born in the Wild‘ finally arrived on Friday and it is definitely one for the books.

On the album, she lets loose with her incredible vocal range and weaves in pop and Afrobeats. She also did not hold back from pouring her emotions into every track.

Some of the standout songs in the 18-track project include ‘Me & U’ and ‘Love Me Jeje’ which she released earlier, but the entire album is a treat.

Collaborations

Tems’ versatility truly shines through, especially on the two collaborative tracks: ‘Get It Right’ featuring Asake and ‘Free Fall’ with J. Cole. Although I knew ‘Free Fall’ would be fantastic because of Tems’ mastery of R&B, the collaboration with Asake was a surprise for me. However, it is a good listen!

Hidden Gems

The opening track, ‘Born in the Wild’, is undeniably beautiful, but Tems makes the lyrics a bit repetitive, which sort of makes the song a bit tiring. ‘Wickedest’, on the other hand, is a hidden gem! This one has the perfect party vibe and surprising mass appeal – I can definitely see it blowing up the charts. ‘Turn Me Up’ brings a laid-back reggae feel, similar to her hit song ‘Damages’ from the ‘For Broken Ears’ EP. The collaboration with J. Cole on ‘Free Fall’ showcases a more vulnerable side of Tems.

Disruptive Interludes

The album features two interludes: ‘Special Baby’ and ‘Voices in My Head’. ‘Special Baby’ celebrates the songstress’ rapid success and personal growth. After diving into ‘Special Baby’, I was primed for more introspection with ‘Voices in My Head’. However, the conversation between the two male voices in the interlude did not quite align with the emotional depth I expected.

Exploration of Love

Love is a recurring theme in the ‘Born in the Wild’ album. Tracks like ‘Love Me Jeje’ and ‘Me & You’ feels like butterflies in your stomach. She expresses the joy of being loved by her man. But then ‘Boy O Boy’ hits you like a bad breakup with lyrics like “you are a pain in my brain… you are killing me babe”. Tems did not shy away from capturing the multifaceted picture of love, including its messy yet beautiful essence on the album.

Artful Sampling

If you thought ‘Love Me Jeje’, originally composed by Seyi Sodimu, was the only sampled song on the album, think again. On ‘Wickedest’, Tems sampled Magic System’s 2002 hit ‘Premier Gaou’, but she made it her own. The singer integrated the samples with her unique style. The choice of sampled songs for each track was spot on.

Overall Impression

Born in the Wild is a strong debut album. Though a bit lengthy, Tems deserves every accolade as she is one of the few African artistes who put effort into her work, and it is shown in this project. Her top-notch vocal dexterity, contemporary sound, and meaningful lyrical content make this album a must-listen.