Me & U
by Tems

Album: Born in the Wild (2023)
Charted: 34
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Here, Tems dives deep into her emotions and looks upward, addressing God with deep devotion. She released the song on October 5, 2023, as her first solo body of work since her 2021 EP If Orange Was a Place.

    "'Me & U' is about discovering the real me, building a genuine relationship with the Creator, and gaining a true perception of self," said Tems.
  • Tems created the song in early spring 2021 around the time she shot the video for her Wizkid collaboration "Essence." When Tems heard it, she went into a trance and had a conversation with God.

    "I was just in a trance, and I didn't remember what I had done until I recorded it, but it really was just about the conversation surrounding commitment and faith," she told Apple Music's Zane Lowe. "I think when you create anything, period, you're tapping into something spiritual because you're creating something from nothing. I think music is very spiritual no matter what it sounds like, no matter where it's from, no matter whether it's acknowledged or not. I think music always has an energy and I just want to be as honest as I can in my music."
  • The song interpolates "Only Me," an unreleased collaboration between Tems and Drake that leaked on May 14, 2023. She also featured on Drake's 2021 Certified Lover Boy track "Fountains."
  • Tems co-wrote and co-produced "Me & U" with GuiltyBeatz. Ghanaian DJ and producer GuiltyBeatz produced four out of the five tracks on If Orange Was a Place. He's also worked with Beyoncé, including three tracks for her The Lion King: The Gift album and "Move" for her Renaissance set (the latter song also features Tems).
  • The music video was shot in Malta. It was directed by Tems herself.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

David Bowie Leads the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired Men

David Bowie Leads the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired MenSong Writing

Bowie's "activist" days of 1964 led to Ziggy Stardust.

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine Band

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine BandSongwriter Interviews

Harry Wayne Casey tells the stories behind KC and The Sunshine Band hits like "Get Down Tonight," "That's The Way (I Like It)," and "Give It Up."

Don Dokken

Don DokkenSongwriter Interviews

Dokken frontman Don Dokken explains what broke up the band at the height of their success in the late '80s, and talks about the botched surgery that paralyzed his right arm.

Modern A Cappella with Peder Karlsson of The Real Group

Modern A Cappella with Peder Karlsson of The Real GroupSong Writing

The leader of the Modern A Cappella movement talks about the genre.

Steven Tyler of Aerosmith

Steven Tyler of AerosmithSongwriter Interviews

Tyler talks about his true love: songwriting. How he identifies the beauty in a melody and turns sorrow into art.

Joan Armatrading

Joan ArmatradingSongwriter Interviews

The revered singer-songwriter talks inspiration and explains why she put a mahout in "Drop the Pilot."