For Broken Ears[1] is the debutextended play by Nigerian singer, songwriter and producerTems.[2][3] It was produced primarily by Tems, along with production fromSpax, Omeiza and Tejiri Akpoghene, and was released on 25 September 2020 by Leading Vibes Limited.[4] It spawned front several hits in 2022, including "Higher" which was sampled on Future's number oneBillboard Hot 100 hit "Wait for U" and "Free Mind" which debuted on the chart, gaining Tems her first solo appearance.[5]
| For Broken Ears | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| EP by | ||||
| Released | 25 September 2020 (2020-09-25) | |||
| Genre | R&B,Alté | |||
| Length | 20:41 | |||
| Label | Leading Vibes | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| Tems chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from For Broken Ears | ||||
Background and release
editTems began working on the EP in 2019. All the tracks were written and produced by Tems, except for the lead single "Damages" which was produced bySpax, and "Higher" produced by Tejiri Akpoghene. "The Key" was co-produced by Omeiza, who had worked on several previous songs with Tems.[6]
The lead single "Damages" was released on 18 September 2020, while the EP was released through Leading Vibes on 22 September 2020.[2]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Pitchfork | 7.6/10[4] |
| Pulse Nigeria | 8/10[7] |
For Broken Ears received generally positive reviews from music critics.Pitchfork praised the EP, calling it an "R&B record, with swirly synths and airy harmonies", while also noting that Tems's voice could be mistaken for that of an American or British singer.[4] A review byPulse Nigeria lauded it for the strong themes and tracks, especially "Damages" and "Ice T", while also adding its preferred track arrangement.[7]
Track listing
editCharts
editWeekly charts
edit| Chart (2022) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| USIndependent Albums (Billboard)[9] | 28 |
| Chart (2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Nigerian Albums (TurnTable)[10] | 99 |
References
edit- ^Olajide A, Emmanuel (25 September 2020)."For Broken Ears Full EP Mp3 downloads & Lyrics".Ascenttunes. Retrieved20 November 2024.
- ^ab"Listen to Nigerian artist Tems' debut EP For Broken Ears".The Fader. Retrieved12 September 2021.
- ^"A 1-Listen Review of Tems' 'For Broken Ears'".The Native. 25 September 2020. Retrieved12 September 2021.
- ^abc"For Broken Ears EP | Pitchfork".Pitchfork. Retrieved12 September 2021.
- ^"@temsbaby "Free Mind" debut on the Billboard Hot 100".Twitter. Retrieved28 July 2022.
- ^Esomnofu, Emmanuel (29 September 2020).""For Broken Ears": Does Tems Deliver On Her Debut Project? | Notjustok". Retrieved12 September 2021.
- ^ab"Tems - For Broken Ears [EP Review]".Pulse Nigeria. 1 October 2020. Retrieved12 September 2021.
- ^"For Broken Ears- EP". Retrieved11 September 2021 – viaApple Music.
- ^"Tems Chart History (Independent Albums)".Billboard. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
- ^"TurnTable Charts | Official Top 100 Albums | October 11th, 2024 - October 17th, 2024".TurnTable. Archived fromthe original on 27 October 2024. Retrieved27 October 2024.