Tems has earned two nominations at the 2026 Soul Train Awards, placing the Nigerian singer in two of the ceremony’s new fan-voted categories as the awards continue to recognize the changing reach of R&B.
Tems is nominated for R&B/Soul Song of the Year with “What You Need” and is also among seven artists competing for Spotify’s RNB X International Artist award. She is the only artist to appear in both of the categories that will be decided directly by fans this year.
The nominations add another international dimension to Tems’ growing presence in contemporary R&B. “What You Need” has been a strong performer on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, while the new international artist category recognizes musicians whose work is extending the genre beyond their home markets.
The RNB X International Artist category was created in partnership with Spotify and takes its name from RNB X, Spotify’s flagship R&B playlist. According to Spotify and BET, the seven nominees were selected based on cultural relevance, streaming performance and their broader impact on the genre. Tems is joined in the category by Cleo Sol, FLO, kwn, Odeal, PARTYNEXTDOOR and Tiana Major9.
For Tems, the nomination places her alongside artists from different parts of the international R&B scene. The category is particularly notable because it reflects how the genre now moves between markets rather than being defined only by the American R&B industry.
Her second nomination comes in the R&B/Soul Song of the Year category, where “What You Need” is competing against nine other songs. The category covers music initially released to the public between June 1, 2025, and May 31, 2026. Unlike most award categories, the winner will be chosen by public voting through BET.com.
The introduction of fan voting is one of the significant changes to this year’s Soul Train Awards. BET is giving audiences control over the winners in both R&B/Soul Song of the Year and Spotify’s RNB X International Artist, allowing listeners to have a direct role in deciding the results.
Voting for both categories is open until Oct. 16. Fans voting for R&B/Soul Song of the Year can make their selection through BET’s Soul Train Awards website, while votes for the RNB X International Artist category are cast through the Spotify app. Spotify also allows users to stream the nominated artists and share their selections.
2026 Soul Train Awards Open Fan Voting for Two Categories, With Tems Nominated in Both
Tems’ nominations arrive as the Soul Train Awards return to television with a renewed focus on the artists shaping contemporary Black music. The 2026 ceremony is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 27, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET, with a simulcast on CBS, BET Her, VH1, MTV2 and LOGO. Actor and comedian Anthony Anderson will host the ceremony.
The awards will also return to Chicago, the city where the original “Soul Train” television program began more than five decades ago. Spotify said the 2026 ceremony will celebrate the legacy of the franchise while highlighting artists carrying R&B and soul into a new generation.
Tems has become one of the most internationally visible Nigerian artists working across R&B and related sounds, and her inclusion in the RNB X International Artist category places that global reach directly within the awards conversation. Rather than treating international R&B as a separate market, the category acknowledges artists whose music is part of a wider exchange between audiences and cultures.
The final results will be determined by the fans. For Tems, that means both of her 2026 Soul Train Awards nominations will ultimately be decided by the people listening to the music.
