Inspiration, name-free
Tems
Smoky alto afro-fusion soul from the 2020s: log drum pulse, shaker patterns, muted guitar riff, seductive and hypnotic in feel. A name-free Suno recipe that reproduces the signature sound without tripping the artist-name filter.
Style: Alternative R&B · Related styles: Soul, Synth-Funk, Pop R&B, Alternative R&B
History
Temilade Openiyi started out in Lagos on her own, writing and producing the early singles at home: "Mr Rebel" in 2018, "Try Me" the year after. The EP For Broken Ears followed in 2020 and fixed the sound in place, a low alto recorded close to the microphone, sitting on afro-fusion percussion without once trying to compete with it. Her verse carried Wizkid's "Essence" onto international charts in 2021, and a remix with Justin Bieber pushed it further. She appeared on Drake's Certified Lover Boy the same year. In 2022 her vocal became the sampled spine of Future's "Wait for U", which reached number one in the United States and won a Grammy, and she co-wrote "Lift Me Up" for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, sung by Rihanna and nominated for an Academy Award. Born in the Wild, her first full album, came out in 2024 and brought her another Grammy the following year. The writing is unhurried by design: long phrases, few words, a lot of space left between them.
The recipe
Opening the recipe…