MUSIC REVIEW: Tems doesn’t need noise to reign, ‘Love Is a Kingdom’ makes it clear

Tems has always made music that feels like a private conversation, soft-lit and deliberate.

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With the surprise release of ‘Love Is a Kingdom’ on 21 November, Tems leans even further into her signature style. The seven-track EP, clocking in at just under 20 minutes, feels like a small, quiet world with its own rhythm and atmosphere.

One thing that sets Tems apart among her contemporaries is her unique vocal dexterity, which remains unmatched. Additionally, she confidently embodies her music, giving her a special place amongst fans since her breakout single, “Mr Rebel,” in 2018.

While her 2024 album, ‘Born in the Wild,’ was bold and wide-ranging, her latest, ‘Love Is a Kingdom,’ takes a gentler route, relying on quiet emotion instead of big statements.

Tems wrote, produced, and crafted most of the EP herself, adding only light contributions from collaborators like GuiltyBeatz, AOD, and LONDON. The result is a smooth blend of alté-R&B, with touches of Afrobeats and classic soul music, that prioritises mood over tempo and honest expression over heavy production.

Track-by-Track

1. First

“First” opens the EP with a calm, confident tune. It’s a beautiful beginning that immediately sets the right mood, pulling listeners into the emotional journey Tems is about to unfold. Over soft guitar melodies, she asserts her independence and sings about putting herself, establishing the EP’s theme of self-awareness and inner strength.

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2. I’m Not Sure

This track turns uncertainty into something almost poetic. With its light, airy production, Tems reflects on doubt in a relationship without making it dramatic. Her gentle falsetto rises and falls like a candle flame, perfectly capturing the confusion, hesitation, and mixed emotions that often accompany modern love.

3. Big Daddy

This is the burst of energy on the EP. With its bright Afrobeats rhythm and quick bursts of sound, “Big Daddy” sees Tems reclaiming control from an unreliable lover. The hook sticks instantly, and even though the lyrics aren’t as sharp as some of her other moments, the song’s catchiness makes it an easy favourite.

4. Lagos Love

A warm tribute to the city that raised her. The pulsing beat mirrors the beautiful chaos of Lagos; its noise, its romance, its urgency. It’s the most dance-leaning track on the EP, yet it still carries a soft, soulful core that keeps it grounded.

5. Mine

A blend of smoky R&B and tender longing. Tems sings with a calm but powerful presence, expressing both the joy and vulnerability that come with loving someone deeply. Her layered harmonies feel almost magical, gentle, captivating, and thoughtfully arranged.

6. What You Need

This is Tems in complete command. Over a beat that would make Timbaland nod in approval, she delivers one of her fiercest performances, choosing solitude over an unfulfilling relationship. It’s bold, raw, and destined to become a fan favourite.

7. Is There a Reason

A meditative closer and one of the EP’s most spiritual moments. Co-crafted with LA producer V-Ron, the song leans into sparse strings and hushed confession. Tems’ questions purpose, alignment, and faith, ending the project with quiet conviction.

7. Is There a Reason

The EP ends on a calm, reflective note with one of its most introspective tracks. Made in collaboration with LA producer V-Ron, the song uses soft strings and a gentle, stripped-down sound to create space for Tems’ introspection. Here, she questions purpose, direction, and faith, closing the project with a quiet but powerful sense of clarity.

Review

‘Love Is a Kingdom’ succeeds because it is intentional. Every track is calibrated to reflect an aspect of love, self-renewal, uncertainty, desire, clarity, and spiritual grounding. The production is minimal yet rich, allowing Tems’ vocals to take centre stage as the centrepiece of the experience.

Its only actual flaw is its brevity. At under 20 minutes, it feels like a glimpse rather than a whole journey, an appetiser when fans are ready for another full-course album. Some tracks, particularly “Big Daddy,” touch brilliance but don’t fully unfold.

Still, what Tems offers here is rare: a project that rewards stillness in a loud world. It’s a sovereign space carved from emotional truth, proof that Tems remains one of the most compelling voices in contemporary R&B, Nigerian, global, and timeless.

If this is her warm-up for the next era, then we’d better get ready for a pleasant surprise.

Hook writing

A consistent strength across the project is Tems’ hook-writing. Her choruses are notably concise yet practical, each repetition feeling purposeful rather than formulaic. This craftsmanship is evident, intentional and beautifully rendered.

Across the project, Tems demonstrates a growing mastery of emotional nuance. Her writing is sharper, her hooks more deliberate, and her sonic choices more controlled than ever.

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If the EP has a limitation, it is only its brevity. At under 20 minutes, the emotional world she constructs is compelling enough to sustain a longer format. Still, within its constraints, the project succeeds as one of Tems’ most thematically coherent works to date.