Award-winning Nigerian music star Tems has unveiled the Leading Vibe Initiative, a new platform aimed at empowering young women in the African music industry, with the potential to scale globally. The award-winning singer and songwriter announced the program this week, saying it was created to address the deep gender imbalance in music by giving women access to resources, mentorship, and industry connections.
According to Tems, the initiative is specifically targeted at emerging female artists, producers, and songwriters across Africa who often struggle to find visibility or professional support in a male-dominated space.
“The initiative seeks to bridge the gap in female representation in music by providing emerging artists, songwriters, and producers with essential tools, resources, and networking opportunities,” she said.
Tems explained that the Leading Vibe Initiative was born out of her own experience as a self-taught artist who entered the industry with little support and few role models. She said the challenges she faced made her determined to create a pathway for others like her.
The program is structured to combat the severe underrepresentation of women in music, a field where women account for only a small fraction of professionals. It will launch first in Lagos, Nigeria, with a plan to offer hands-on training, mentorship, and access to modern music production tools. Through a partnership with Native Instruments, participants will be trained using professional-grade equipment and technology.
Tems said the bigger goal of the initiative is to create a strong and supportive community where women can grow, collaborate, and take ownership of their careers in music.
“There are thousands of young women just like me with a voice, a gift and a desire to be heard. I want to be someone who shows people that there’s hope because I know that the most heartbreaking thing is to see a light dimmed and a fire never ignited,” she said.
“While the music industry is great, there hasn’t always been a space for women. Women creators, women producers, women engineers, women writers. That is why I’m starting the Leading Vibe initiative for the ones that believe, for the ones that have a desire to be heard and a dream to be seen. The ones who dare to be different and who are just waiting for that one space where they can express and be the best versions of themselves.”
She added: “The ones who are not afraid to lead. It’s a movement, it’s a network, it’s a wave built for women, by women from the continent to the world. Now is the time to rise, the time to be seen, the time to be heard, the time to believe and to bet on yourself. You don’t need to wait any longer; the time is now. So let’s take that leap together. We are the Leading Vibe and we’re just getting started.”
Applications are now open to women aged 18 to 35 who are based in Nigeria and working as artists, songwriters, or producers. The application window closes on July 13.
