Tems Delivers Soul-Stirring Set as Headliner at AFROPUNK Brasil 2025
In a performance that fused the raw pulse of Afrobeats with the festival’s unyielding spirit of Black resistance and creativity, Nigerian powerhouse Tems made her electrifying debut at AFROPUNK Brasil 2025, capping off the event’s second night with a set that left the Parque de Exposições crowd in absolute reverence. The two-day extravaganza, held November 8-9 in the heart of Bahia’s Afro-Brazilian epicentre, once again proved why it’s the ultimate global beacon for unapologetic Black expression, blending music, fashion, activism, and cultural reclamation into one immersive explosion.
Tems, the 2x Grammy-winning songstress behind genre-bending anthems like “Free Mind” and her chart-topping collab “Essence” with Wizkid and Justin Bieber, stormed the main stage on Sunday evening as the undisputed headliner. This marked her first-ever appearance at AFROPUNK Brasil and one of her rare South American outings. Fresh off a whirlwind 2025 slate—including sold-out stops at London’s Wembley Stadium and the FIFA Club World Cup—Tems brought her signature neo-soul swagger, weaving minimalist electronica, R&B vulnerability, and Afro-futurist vibes into a 90-minute odyssey that had thousands swaying under the Salvador stars.
The setlist was a masterclass of hits and heart. Attendees lost it to the soaring highs of “Turn Me Up”, the introspective grooves of “Higher”, and that inevitable “Essence” drop, which morphed into an impromptu call-and-response with the audience chanting Portuguese-infused lyrics back at her.
Tems also performed deep cuts from her critically acclaimed debut album, ‘Born in the Wild’, which earned three Grammy nods earlier this year, cementing her as Afrobeats’ boundary-pushing queen.
But AFROPUNK Brasil 2025 was no solo act. The festival’s fifth edition—curated by IDW Entretenimento with sponsors like Banco do Brasil and Heineken—delivered a diaspora dream lineup across both days. Night one (November 8) kicked off with British soul sensation Jorja Smith setting a moody, introspective tone, followed by Jamaican dancehall legend Sister Nancy joining forces with Bahia’s own BaianaSystem for a genre-warping collab that fused roots reggae with axé rhythms—described by attendees as “a seismic quake of sound”. Brazilian heavyweights like BK’, Péricles, Liniker, ÀTTØØXXÁ, MC Luanna, and Os Garotin rounded out the bill, spotlighting the nation’s rich tapestry of Black artistry.
Day two ramped up the intensity: rising R&B star Coco Jones made her Latin American debut with silky runs that echoed Tems’ vibe, while Núbia’s invite to Muzenza brought ancestral Afro-Brazilian percussion into the mix. The night peaked with a heartfelt tribute—”40 Anos da AFRO Axé Music: Tatau Convida Márcia Short e Lazzo Matumbi”—honouring Bahia’s revolutionary axé legacy and the Blocos Afro that shaped Brazil’s sound. DJs Boneka and Umiranda kept the transitions seamless, spinning everything from Detroit techno to Lagos house.
As Afrobeats continues its world domination—thanks in no small part to trailblazers like Tems—this Salvador takeover feels like a prophecy fulfilled: Africa and Latin America, rhythms intertwined, resistance amplified. The fest drew a diverse sea of faces—local Bahians in candomblé-inspired fits rubbing shoulders with international superfans—proving AFROPUNK’s mission to amplify peripheral voices and resist erasure.
