the blueprint: tubi retta on architecting tems' leading vibe initiative

Manor: Can you please tell us a bit about yourself and what inspired you to work with Tems to create her Leading Vibe Initiative?

Tubi: My work sits at the intersection of culture and impact. I’ve partnered with institutions, global brands and influential leaders across philanthropy, entertainment, music, film and sports, including working for Michelle Obama in the White House on impact initiatives. Whether it’s architecting platforms, building partnerships or curating the right rooms, I focus on using culture and influence to expand access, build communities and create opportunities, particularly for women and girls.

Working with Tems came from that alignment. She’s one of the most influential artists of our time and is redefining the music industry on her own terms. What stood out to me immediately is her authenticity and how intentional she is about what she’s building. She understands her influence and, more importantly, how it can be leveraged to open doors for others.

She’s always had a clear vision to create pathways for other women to rise in the industry, and for their journeys to be easier than hers. And her managers Wale and Muyiwa, have been equally passionate and huge champions of the vision. I’m helping to translate that vision into something structured and scalable. The Leading Vibe Initiative is designed to invest in the next generation of women across the music industry and create access to the tools, resources and community they need to succeed.

The initiative reflects the kind of work I’m building more broadly — using culture as a lever to shift narratives and expand who gets access, visibility and the opportunity to succeed across industries.

M: What was the starting point for Tems’ Leading Vibe Initiative, and what made it feel necessary?

T: The starting point for the initiative was Tems’ lived experience. She built her career without a clear roadmap, and while that journey has been powerful, it also highlights a broader gap: there’s very little infrastructure supporting women across the music industry, particularly in Africa.

At the same time, the creative economy across Africa is expanding rapidly, and music is one of the continent’s most influential global exports. But women are still underrepresented across the value chain, which means they’re not fully positioned to benefit from that growth.

The initiative was built to address that directly by creating access to the knowledge, networks and opportunities that help shape long-term careers. The goal is to ensure more women are positioned to lead across the industry and define its future.

M: What role do mentorship and access to industry leaders play in shaping the trajectory of the participants?

T: They play a critical role. For many young women, it starts with representation… seeing themselves reflected in the people they’re learning from. Connecting with women who come from similar contexts and have built real careers in the industry helps to shift what feels possible.

Participants are learning directly from established leaders across the industry. They are gaining insight into the creative process, the business, the strategy and the decisions that sustain longevity.

That combination is powerful. It builds confidence and equips them to step into the industry with greater clarity and a stronger belief in their own potential.

M: What have been the most defining moments in bringing this initiative to life so far?

T: Launching in Lagos and expanding into cities like Nairobi and Johannesburg have been defining milestones, but what’s been most exciting is what happens within each experience.

With every cohort, you see a real shift in how participants see themselves. They come in with talent and ambition, but not always with clarity or confidence about their place in the industry. Through connection with industry leaders and their peers that begins to change. It expands their sense of what’s possible and how they see their own path. More than 90% of the women in our cohorts have said that they’ve formed valuable connections, gained confidence and expect near-term career impact.

The community we’re building is a critical part of that. Many of the women have been navigating the industry in isolation, without peers who truly understand their experience. Bringing them together creates a sense of belonging, shared ambition and support.

What’s been especially powerful is seeing that carried forward. Participants across cohorts are already supporting each other, collaborating and creating music together. As we continue to grow, the vision is to build a connected, pan-African and ultimately global community of women in music who are moving together and shaping the industry in real time.

M: What role does collaboration play in your process?

T: We believe deeply in collaboration. It’s how you drive meaningful outcomes at scale.

Across each market, we partner with local organisations that are already doing critical work to support women in the music industry. For our latest edition, we collaborated with Women in Music South Africa. That grounding helped to ensure that our work is built within local context.

Whether it’s aligning capital, expertise or networks around a clear and shared visions, collaboration can be a force multiplier. It accelerates progress, deepens the work, and expands what’s possible in terms of durable reach and impact. 

M: What drew you personally to building something focused specifically on young women in music across Africa?

T: Being from Ethiopia, I’ve always been deeply invested in how we support young women across the continent. I’ve seen first-hand what happens when you invest in a young woman; the ripple effects are real. You literally change not just her life, but that of her family and entire community. I also understand what’s at stake if we fail to invest in them and how much the world stands to lose.

Right now, we’re seeing the rapid growth of the creative industries in Africa across music, fashion, sports and media, which are all shaping global culture in a real way. These sectors are cultural drivers and also serious economic engines. The question is: who is positioned to benefit from the growth?

And in a continent with one of the youngest populations in the world, there’s an urgent need to create pathways to jobs and sustainable livelihoods at scale. This is about being intentional at a critical moment and ensuring that, as the creative economy continues to grow, women are positioned to build, lead and capture value within it.

To stay connected to the movement and follow the journeys shaping the future of African music, visit the Leading Vibe Initiative at www.leadingvibe.org