My first personal introduction to Tems was through the infamous song ‘Essence’ by Wizkid and Tems on his ‘Made in Lagos’ album. Her emotive voice caught my ear as it did for many of us. I was interested in her discography but I hadn't become a fan yet. Although I did appreciate her unique tone and her ability to convey her lyrics in an interesting way.
The first project I listened to by her was ‘If Orange Was a Place’ and I was impressed. I quickly became a fan and continuously listened to this EP and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I think the title of this project is interesting as orange connotes warmth and energy and I believe that's what Tems and this project emphasise. This is definitely a comfort project with fun Afrobeats and R&B.
The opening of this project with ‘Crazy Things’ is definitely one of the fan favourites and mine also. This song is so interesting to listen to because at first your focus is on the beat
which is sonically amazing to listen to, then your attention drags to her voice which is extremely unique in itself. Finally, we listen to the lyrics which are emotive and empowering at the same time. To my understanding, Tems is describing someone she knows and their bad behaviours that affect her peace of mind “all you do is lie, lie / give me some time I need peace”. The chorus’s repetition of the word “crazy things” connotes the idea that she is speaking her mind specifically and that there are a lot of things going on that come from this person disrupting her peace but also making reference to the wider world. Despite her going through relationship issues which is a “crazy thing”, societally there are other "crazy things”. Another line that stood out to me on this track was “oh, you try to make me insane, you know I'm not the same / I think I can do better” which can be empowering when you realise that someone doesn’t have this power over you anymore. This opening can already tell the listener they're going to listen to Tems delve into deep topics of self and warmth and high energy.
Another stand out track is ‘Avoid Things’ which is the second to last track on this project. This song is extremely honest and relatable. I believe we all try to avoid feeling, speaking and expressing our emotions towards ourselves or to the people who are hurting us. This song speaks of exactly that. The lines “I try to avoid things but there is no one / this is madness” can connote that she is only running from herself because no one is there but herself. It can also connote that she's avoiding stuff she's feeling from someone who doesn't listen to her anyway. The lines “and it’s a migraine to play your mind games / you're like a cold place, don't need a cold place”. These words further emphasise the idea of not being listened to, which can be the reason why she's avoiding things. In addition, the juxtaposition between the words “cold” and the project title, ‘If Orange Was a Place’ can create this sense of warmth that she aspires to Thus, ending this project with ‘Vibe Out’, tells her that despite all of what's happening to her mentally, she's still going to have fun and vibe out.
All in all, I believe that this is an amazing introduction to Tems’ work as an artist or a fan. To me, this project set the precedent for what her music would sound like. Her honesty and vulnerability within her lyricism becomes consistent within her discography.
