Life & Work with TEMITOPE

Today we’d like to introduce you to TEMITOPE. Them and their team share their story with us below:

TEMITOPE (Teh-ME-toh-PEH) is a worship artist who writes music empowering the Church to love beyond comfort. If you ask him about the genre of his music, he’ll refer to it as “horizontal worship” because it mobilizes the Church, the family of God, to share His love, which is freely given, with others, particularly those who are different from ourselves. In doing so, the Church becomes an active agent of reconciliation in the world. Temitope has carefully curated a distinct sound to spread and reflect this message. 

The name, “Temitope,” originates from the Yorùbá tribe in Nigeria and means “mine is praise.” He was raised in a multicultural home by his Nigerian and British immigrant parents in San Diego, CA. Through various experiences with family and friends, God began revealing to TEMITOPE the importance of reconciliation in displaying His multicultural heart. Temitope believes that God has created each person to reflect His heart in a way that only they can. By standing together with our differences, instead of standing against each other because of our differences, we experience more of Him. This truth has greatly influenced TEMITOPE’s marriage, family, social circles, and ministry for the better. He is learning to appreciate how God has uniquely shaped himself and others around him through the power of the Gospel. The love of God breaks the lines of color, culture, and creed, and reveals an invitation for every person to find their purpose in His greater story. 

When he’s not sharing his ministry on the road, TEMITOPE, his wife, Jordan, and their kids enjoy life together in Nashville, TN, where they build relationships with those around them through their church and interactions with the broader community. They are a family filled with purpose and believe that God will continue using them to help others experience His transforming love. 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
If anyone tells you that life is a smooth road, they’re lying. In all seriousness, my life has been filled with ups and downs. It actually feels like it’s been more downs since committing to music. My family and I moved to Nashville last year, and things in our life slowly began unraveling. We were walking through friends committing suicide, family members getting diagnosed with cancer, structural integrity issues with our house, etc. I could go on and on. I actually call 2021, “The Wasteland,” in light of some of what we walked through, specifically last year. Yet, in the midst of it all, God has proven Himself faithful. Money is tight, yet we’re still able to pay our bills and feed our kids. Sickness came, yet no one needed to be hospitalized. Last year taught me that the God of green pastures is the God of the wasteland. The river of presence though God and people still flows in the wasteland. 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a worship artist empowering the Church to be reconcilers through loving ourselves and others beyond comfort so that we can see authentic people in a multicultural Church for a reconciled world. In other words, I use music as a tool to teach people how to live in diverse communities. One of the things that makes my art unique is that I pair songs with educational resources, called A RECONCILER’S GUIDE, that help people practice principles (sung about in the songs) in their neighborhoods and communities. I am really proud of these GUIDES. The latest adaptation of it released in late January, however, the previous focuses on reconciling with people of color (https://thelumpycouch.org/projects/) and connects to my record entitled, MEJI (https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/temitope/meji). I highly recommend this resource for those looking to intentionally engage with Black History Month.”

What were you like growing up?
I’ve always been a self-motivated person. I committed to whatever I felt I was supposed to do and did what I needed to achieve it. 

Contact Info:

• Website: iamtemitope.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamtemitope/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamtemitope/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/iamtemitope
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2YrmP8ksRyeEVkzYp5to25

Image Credits
Franco Castelo
Ashley Mae Wright