Tems's stunning cover of "No Woman, No Cry" was first heard in the trailer for "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," but hearing the Nigerian-born singer perform the Bob Marley song live is a whole new experience. On Saturday, Sept. 24, Tems performed "No Woman, No Cry" live for the first time at the Global Citizen Festival in Ghana. Her performance was captured by fans, who can be heard singing along to the song's emotional refrain of "everything's gonna be alright" in a video shared on Twitter.
"No Woman, No Cry" was one of several songs performed by Tems at the festival. Additionally, she gave an energetic performance of "Crazy Tings" from her 2021 album, "If Orange Was a Place," and she also sang "Damages," a personal song from her 2020 album, "For Broken Ears." Throughout the set, Tems commanded the stage and illustrated once again why 2022 is shaping up to be her best year yet.
In addition to her cover of "No Woman, No Cry" being on the "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" soundtrack, she's also collaborated with some of the biggest names in music including Beyoncé and Drake. The singer and gender-equality activist has worked hard to build her career, and she's not taking one second of her success for granted.
"There were times when I was not just broke - I was broke and hopeless," Tems told GQ UK in July. "I used to steal food. I used to go to my aunty's house just so she could give me food to take home. I just felt like, What is the point of me existing right now? You have to remember those times. Because that person does not exist anymore."
She added, "Every day is a pinch-me moment now. Something happens every single day that reminds me, Oh, you thought you were going back there? No. This is it, girl. This is your life."
With "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" premiering in November, and her set at the Global Citizen Festival instantly unforgettable, it's clear Tems's future is bright.
