Tems has always been an artist who plunges you into a reflection of her story. When the melodies are stripped off, you find her characters vulnerable, and in her lyrics, she never fails to be open with her emotions. Whether she’s at the center of lazy affection, fighting to be free, or painting a demand for more affection from a lover, Tems opens you into her world. Sometimes, so vulnerable, it catches you unawares; other times, she masks behind her vocals for a good moment. But still, she takes her time to immerse you in her feelings and truth without losing confidence.

On her third and surprise EP, Love Is A Kingdom, she launches straight into her universe of love and affection, characterized by its complexities. The seven-track project, as the title suggests, explores a central theme of love but in different colours, while positioning her as both subject and object in her story. The EP places her songwriting on the same scale as her vocals, where her signature blend of Afro-R&B with a heavy leaning towards R&B is seen. With her imprints evident in the production, she collaborates with Ghanaian long-term producer GuiltyBeatz and guest producer London to create an impressive listening experience.

Without wasting much time, she demands the right to be free on “First.” As one who preaches the gospel of love, she hates that it often remains unrequited, so she holds self-love dearly and her faith, while prioritizing herself above all else. Holding onto lines like “They keep trying to control me / They don’t care how much it hurts me / so I had to change the story,” she declares her freedom — not to a romantic partner this time, but to conventions and restrictions.

Tems has always been carefree, like a dove, but on this intro track, similar to her narrative on “Try Me” from her debut EP, For Broken Ears, she’s like a lion in the wild. Her vocals are more striking than her own production. Yet, it’s a gentle but firm warning for an intro track.

“I’m Not Sure” follows closely, with her mellifluous vocals permeating the entire track. On this Afro-R&B track, she yearns for a more affectionate love, making a stern demand for reciprocity. Yet, she questions the need to pursue the love she innately desires. It’s almost as if she’s caught in a paradox, but Tems knows her worth, and she wouldn’t risk it unless she sees enough evidence.

The theme and cadence continue on the groovy track, “Big Daddy,” where her muse takes the subject of the story, this time. “Where were you when there was no one was around? / Where were you when I needed someone down?” She begins the finely produced track, taking shots at a supposed lover. “You may look like you’re breathing, but you’re dead to me,” she doesn’t mince words as she bounces on the GuiltyBeatz and AoD-produced track. The full track reeks of satire on the songwriting and stands as one of the highlights of the EP.

But her tone changes with the advent of the London-produced “Lagos Love.” While the track doesn’t fully lean towards Afrobeats despite its title referencing Lagos, it stands out among the finely executed production. Being an ‘Afrobeats’ superstar from Lagos, Tems has lived and stayed long enough to paint a love story that swerves around certainty and honesty. So she questions it, but in an endearing way this time.

She draws from the same emotional register on “Mine,” except she stands defensively about her intentions. “Don’t you know you’re mine / mine to the end of time.” She’s not willing to trade this love interest, so she declares them ‘Mine.’ Her vocals are on the same rhythmic scale as the other songs on the EP, which leaves a less lasting impression.

But “What You Need” corrects this, signaling the close of the project. In the long run, love comes with its complexities. There, Tems finds herself a victim of it, but she is honest about her vulnerabilities, so it doesn’t consume her. She yearns to be better loved while outrightly dismissing the one she finds herself in. This mid-tempo R&B track showcases her soulful vocals with the assistance of the background voices.

Drawing the EP to a close, Tems maintains the theme on the acoustic guitar-led song “Is There A Reason.” Tems has never been one to dismiss her feelings, so she raises several questions about reciprocation. Her vocals shine more than ever on this down-tempo track, while her songwriting guides her on the journey of liberation. But beneath the chilling tunes, you can almost tell she’s reeling from hurt.

If anything Love Is A Kingdom didn’t hide; it’s the emotions that Tems holds dear to heart. More than the theme of love and intimacy, it appears Tems takes reciprocation to heart, a major narrative that permeates the entire EP. Overall, it’s a pleasing project that manages to meet the impression of previous EPs, If Orange Was a Place and For Broken Ears.

And while her vocal prowess and songwriting skills met at equal scale, her production imprints stood out. It’s a project that would catch listeners over time. More importantly, it’s one that passionately expresses Tems’ love story with its various complexities.