Tems & Rihanna Make Oscars History In Their Home Countries

Award season is in full swing with nominations and announcements dominating the news cycles. With every nomination announcement, another opportunity to make history presents itself, and this year’s Oscar nominations have done just that. Last week, we reported Angela Bassett’s historic nomination. This week, we’re pleased to report that Nigerian musician, Tems and Barbadian superstar, Rihanna have made history with their first nominations at 95th Academy Awards for their record, “Lift Me Up”. 

Released in 2022, “Lift Me Up” is a lead single off the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack. In particular, this record marked Rihanna’s return to the music scene after her critically acclaimed, eight studio album, Anti. Penned as a tribute to late actor, Chadwick Boseman, “Lift me Up” sees Rihanna, Tems, Ludwig Göransson, and Ryan Coogler come together as co-writers of the record. 

While Rihanna is no stranger to awards, this nomination marks her first at the Academy Awards and makes her the first of her countrymen, Barbados to be honored in this way. On the other side of the spectrum, Tems’s debut is one that artists dream about. From hit records to dream collaborations, this Oscar nomination for her songwriting only further speaks to the brilliance of her artistry. Moreover, this nomination makes Tems the first Nigerian artist to be nominated at the Oscars. 

When are the Oscars…

While the Oscars have a considerable way to go when it comes to inclusivity and racial equality, it’s important to celebrate the good news where it comes up. We’ll have to wait for more history to be made at the 95th Oscars, which will be hosted at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on March 12, 2023!