Does Tems have songs with Dancehall vibes?

Tems’ soulful Afrobeats sound carries subtle but distinct Dancehall vibes. Songs like Free Mind, Replay, and her feature on Wizkid’s Essence show Dancehall influence through riddim patterns, singjay phrasing, and Caribbean-coded lyrical motifs.

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Introduction

Since breaking out with her single Try Me (2019) and her global feature on Wizkid’s Essence (2020), Tems (Temilade Openiyi) has become one of Afrobeats’ most globally recognized artists. Her sound is often described as alternative Afrobeats or Afro-fusion, marked by a soulful voice, atmospheric production, and introspective lyricism.

But beneath her ethereal style lies a noticeable Caribbean undercurrent. Tems occasionally adopts Dancehall rhythmic phrasing, riddim-like beat structures, and lyrical tropes associated with Jamaican sound culture. This raises the question: does Tems have songs with Dancehall vibes?

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Does Tems have songs with Dancehall vibes?

Yes — several tracks in Tems’ catalogue reveal Dancehall influences, even if her music is not marketed as Dancehall.

1) Replay (from If Orange Was a Place, 2021)

Replay carries a Dancehall-adjacent riddim structure, with its steady off-beat groove and minimalist bass. Tems’ vocal phrasing at points mirrors singjay cadence, the melodic-rhythmic delivery central to modern Dancehall (Barrow & Dalton, 2004). The lyrical repetition of phrases (“It’s replay, replay”) recalls Dancehall’s looped refrains designed for dancefloor energy (Manuel & Marshall, 2006).

2) Free Mind (2019)

While largely framed as an Afrobeats ballad, Free Mind uses syncopated percussion and space-heavy production similar to Dancehall’s minimalist riddims. Tems’ delivery in the verses incorporates speech-like melodic inflections, paralleling Caribbean vocal patterns (Hebdige, 1987).

3) Essence (Wizkid ft. Tems, 2020)

Although best known as an Afrobeats/R&B hybrid, Essence contains Dancehall-coded sensuality in its groove and vocal exchanges. Tems’ chorus delivery, alternating between stretched melodic lines and clipped rhythmic emphasis, reflects Dancehall’s affective push-pull (Hope, 2006).

4) Try Me (2019)

Tems’ breakout track, Try Me, features a dark, bass-driven groove whose tension resembles Dancehall’s cinematic riddim structures. The song’s confrontational lyrical posture mirrors Dancehall’s tradition of resistance and defiance, traits common in female Dancehall narratives (Stolzoff, 2000).

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How Dancehall manifests in Tems’ style

Rhythmic phrasing

Tems frequently alternates between sustained vocal runs and rhythmic “spitting” of lyrics, placing her delivery near the Caribbean singjay spectrum (Barrow & Dalton, 2004).

Production choices

Collaborators like GuiltyBeatz and P2J often use space-driven instrumentals, echoing riddim architecture that Manuel and Marshall (2006) describe as a foundation for Dancehall’s adaptability.

Thematic overlaps

Tems’ focus on love, desire, independence, and defiance resonates with Dancehall’s thematic core, especially in female-fronted narratives that challenge gender and social expectations (Hope, 2006).

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Broader context: Afro-Caribbean sound exchange

Tems’ subtle Dancehall borrowings should be read in the context of the Black Atlantic (Gilroy, 1993). Afrobeats and Dancehall both descend from African diasporic rhythms, with continuous cross-pollination facilitated by migration, media, and collaboration. Tems’ global reach — from Lagos to London to Los Angeles — naturally exposes her to Caribbean influence, which she integrates without losing her distinct Afro-fusion identity.

Her Dancehall vibes are therefore less about stylistic mimicry and more about diasporic resonance: an artist unconsciously channeling cultural kinship across oceans.

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A short, precise list you can publish

• Replay (2021) — riddim-like groove, singjay phrasing.
• Free Mind (2019) — syncopated percussion, Dancehall-style cadence.
• Essence (2020, with Wizkid) — sensual, Caribbean-coded vocal exchanges.
• Try Me (2019) — bass-heavy groove and lyrical defiance reminiscent of Dancehall.

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Conclusion

Tems does have songs with Dancehall vibes. Tracks like Replay, Free Mind, Essence, and Try Me borrow from Jamaican riddim structures, vocal phrasing, and thematic traditions. These influences, while subtle, demonstrate the ongoing Afro-Caribbean dialogue shaping global Afrobeats.

By weaving Dancehall into her Afro-fusion palette, Tems underscores the shared diasporic roots of Lagos and Kingston. Her work shows that Dancehall is not just a feature in Afrobeats collaborations but an undercurrent that enriches the genre’s global resonance.

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References (APA — all cited in-text)

• Barrow, S., & Dalton, P. (2004). The Rough Guide to Reggae. Rough Guides.
• Gilroy, P. (1993). The Black Atlantic: Modernity and Double Consciousness. Harvard University Press.
• Hebdige, D. (1987). Cut ’n’ Mix: Culture, Identity and Caribbean Music. Routledge.
• Hope, D. P. (2006). Inna di Dancehall: Popular Culture and the Politics of Identity in Jamaica. University of the West Indies Press.
• Manuel, P., & Marshall, W. (2006). The riddim method: Aesthetics, practice, and ownership in Jamaican Dancehall. Popular Music, 25(3), 447–470.
• Stolzoff, N. C. (2000). Wake the Town and Tell the People: Dancehall Culture in Jamaica. Duke University Press.