Sensational Temilade Openiyi, better known by her stage name Tems, has been nominated for an Oscar for Lift Me Up, a song she co-wrote with Rihanna, Ludwig Goeransson, and Ryan Coogler.
The song is nominated in the category for Best Original Song. It was recorded in five nations and is the lead song from the Black Panther soundtrack. It is a memorial to Chadwick Boseman, who portrayed King T’Challa.
In 2020, Boseman passed away following a battle with colon cancer. Tems stated that the song was influenced by her heartfelt memories of deceased loved ones.
“After speaking with Ryan and hearing his vision for the film and song, I wanted to create a piece that expressed a loving hug for the individuals I have lost in my life. Rihanna has been an inspiration to me, therefore it’s an honor to hear her perform this song,” said Tems.
Marvel Studios tweeted, “Congratulations to Tems, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler, and Ludwig Goofansson on their nomination for Best Original Song at the Academy Awards.”
Tems, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler, and Ludwig Goransson are nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Lift Me Up” from Marvel Studios’ Black Panther. #WakandaForever! #OscarNominations picture: UYQEP0ZFJ8
24-Jan-2023 Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios)
Tems was also congratulated by Document Women, a media platform dedicated to combating erasure by documenting women’s stories.
“Lift Me Up” by Tems has been nominated for an Oscar in the Best Original Song category.
She is the first Nigerian artist to be nominated for an Oscar. Congratulations, @temsbaby! photo: @YWfeSfoGNI
24-Jan-2023 — Document Women (@DocumentWomen)
»Tems, a Nigerian singer, is overjoyed with her Oscar nomination«