Nigerian singer, Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has broken new ground as she joins San Diego F.C. as a part owner.
This move makes her the first African female musician to have a stake in a Major League Soccer (MLS) club in the United States.
The announcement was made on Wednesday by the club’s chairman, Sir Mohamed Mansour, in an official statement.
“We are delighted that Tems has joined San Diego FC as a Club Partner,” Mansour said.
“Tems is a globally significant artist who will help us to reach new audiences and spread the word about our unique project, which of course has its foundations in sub-Saharan Africa through the unique Right to Dream organization.”
Tems, who shot to global fame with hits like “Essence” and “Free Mind”, joined the club’s ownership group through her company, The Leading Vibe, in collaboration with Pave Investments. Pave Investments is an African private investment firm that recently played a key role in funding NBA Africa’s entity.
The Grammy-winning singer expressed her excitement about the opportunity.
“To be very honest, music and sports, they’re kind of similar in the way that they give opportunities to the young talents and the young generations coming up,” she stated.
Tems now sits among a prestigious group of San Diego F.C. stakeholders, which includes former Manchester United and Chelsea player Juan Mata, Hollywood actress Issa Rae, retired U.S. Navy SEAL Jocko Willink, and MLB All-Star Manny Machado.
