Tems’ manager, Donovan, has responded to questions about whether the Nigerian singer could sell out London’s O2 Arena, pointing to the rapid demand for her back-to-back Apollo shows as evidence of her concert-drawing power.
In a social media post addressing the debate, Donovan revealed that 10,000 tickets for the Apollo performances sold out within a day, while another 8,000 people remained on the waiting list.
“We sold out the Apollo back to back. 10,000 tickets, with another 8,000 people on the waiting list after selling out. All this within a day. Hope these metrics help,” Donovan said.
His response puts ticket demand at the centre of the discussion, offering figures from the Apollo shows to support the case for Tems’ ability to attract a large live audience.
However, the numbers do not automatically establish whether she could sell out the O2 Arena. The venues have different capacities, and the supplied information does not specify the dates, seating configurations or ticketing arrangements for the Apollo performances.
Still, the reported waiting list suggests that demand for those shows extended beyond the tickets available, giving Donovan a concrete example to cite in the ongoing conversation about the singer’s live-drawing potential.
Tems has developed an international following through songs including Free Mind, Me & U and Love Me JeJe. She has also reached wider audiences through major collaborations, notably Essence with Wizkid and Wait for U with Future and Drake.
Her catalogue and international performances have helped establish her presence beyond Nigeria, while her festival appearances have introduced her music to audiences in different markets.
The O2 Arena question, however, remains a separate challenge. A sold-out run at the Apollo provides one measure of demand, but determining whether Tems could fill the O2 Arena would require more information about her ticket sales, audience reach and the scale of the proposed show.
For now, Donovan has made his argument with the figures he says came from the Apollo concerts: 10,000 tickets sold in a day and another 8,000 people waiting for a chance to attend. Whether that demand would translate into an O2 Arena sell-out remains unestablished.