Tems’ Faith Is Front and Center in Self-Directed Video for ‘Me & U’
Tems puts her faith on bold display in her latest video “Me & U,” marking her first solo release since here 2021 EP If Orange Was a Place.
She first teased the song on September 29, posting a still from the then-unreleased video on X, formerly known as Twitter. It’s a pulsing and spiritual display of her intimate songwriting and unparalleled voice. “I need faith to believe you, faith to receive you,” she sings. “Give me something I’m lacking, I don’t need nothing, you are my everything.”
When a X user drew a parallel between the photo of Tems standing in shallow natural water wearing a translucent white gown and imagery of Oshun and Yemayá, two deities known as Orishas in the Nigerian Yorùbá spirituality, she clarified her intentions.
“Actually it’s about Jesus Christ teaching me how to walk on water, to trust Him and not in human understanding,” she wrote. “He changed my life. And if you seek Him He will fill you up too.” She directed the video, filled with scenes of her in solitude, dancing across the earth and sea, contrasted with moments of her surrounded by women playing drums and surrounding her in formations of circles and crosses.
Though this is Tems first solo music in a while, she’s been everywhere: if you’ve heard the radio in the past couple years, you wouldn’t be surprised to learn her song “Free Mind,” released in 2020, became the longest leading #1 song by a lead female artist on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay charts earlier this year.
In February, she won her first Grammy for her feature on Future’s “Wait For U,” whose hook is derived from her song “Higher.” She was also nominated for a Best Original Song Oscar for writing “Lift Me Up,” performed by Rihanna for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.