Nigerian music sensation Tems has received the prestigious Diamond Award at Billboard’s inaugural Global Power Players Event, held on Wednesday, June 4, 2025 at Shoreditch House in East London, England.
The Grammy-winning star was honored alongside global music legends, including Sir Elton John and EMPIRE founder Ghazi Shami, in a celebration recognizing influential figures shaping the future of global music.
Tems, who remains the most-awarded African artist in Billboard’s history, was presented the Diamond Award by Nkosiyati Khumalo, the incoming editor of Billboard Africa.
In her acceptance speech, Tems reflected on the growth of African music on the world stage and commended Billboard for its support of the culture. “Being African and a musician is a whole new world, and I feel like Billboard has been so supportive of not just African music but the whole scene and the culture,” she said. “This has been a really great honour, especially given that African music is moving to heights that have never been seen before, and Billboard is one of the key players in moving that needle forward.”
Also honoured on the night, Sir Elton John received the Creators’ Champion Award, while EMPIRE boss Ghazi Shami took home the Clive Davis Visionary Award, which was presented by Nigerian rapper and YBNL label boss, Olamide.
The event also saw the launch of Billboard’s first-ever U.K. Power Players Chart, spotlighting leading industry influencers within the British and global music markets.
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