The Moment That Broke the Internet
The scene was simple. Saka asked Tems about her musical influences. Tems said Celine Dion inspired her. She shared her admiration for the Canadian icon. Saka listened, then responded.Saka: “I don’t know who that is.”
Tems: “Oh my gosh!”
Saka: “No. Is that bad?”
Tems: “Oh my gosh. Celine Dion!”
What Saka Actually Listens To
To be fair to Saka, he is not musically illiterate. He is, in fact, an enthusiastic music consumer. He just consumes a very specific corner of it. During the same episode, he told Tems exactly what fills his playlist.
“I listen to a lot of Afrobeats. Like yourself, like Asake, Burna Boy, and stuff like this.”
Saka’s own words from The Link Up, Episode 1
He listed Tems herself, Asake, and Burna Boy as regular listening. Davido has also been mentioned in previous interviews in connection with his playlist. For a 24-year-old born to Nigerian parents in London, whose family roots are Yoruba, this is not surprising. It is, in fact, a completely coherent musical identity. Celine Dion dominated the 1990s. Saka was born in 2001. The timelines do not overlap in the way Tems’ childhood would have placed her in range of that music.
The Nigerian Connection at the Heart of It
What makes this story worth more than the viral clip is the cultural context it sits in. This was two people of Nigerian heritage, filmed in one of the most iconic music spaces in the world, discussing the role that creativity plays in their respective careers. Saka has been vocal about his Nigerian and Yoruba heritage throughout his career. He visited Lagos in June 2023 and spent time with family. He wears his Nigerian identity with genuine pride.
Tems, born Temilade Openiyi in Lagos, is the most globally successful Nigerian female artist of her generation. Her 2021 EP “If Orange Was a Place” and her 2024 debut album “Born in the Wild” both had Grammy-winning producer GuiltyBeatz as a key collaborator. GuiltyBeatz was also present at the Abbey Road filming, adding a third Nigerian voice to a conversation that, at its core, was about the relationship between discipline, creativity, and performing under pressure.
Saka’s Celine Dion admission is genuinely funny. It is also, if you think about it for more than 30 seconds, a perfectly reasonable reflection of who he is and where he comes from. He is a 24-year-old British-Nigerian man who grew up listening to Afrobeats and UK urban music. Why would he know Celine Dion?
The real story is about cultural perspective. When two successful Nigerian-heritage artists from different generations talk, their unique references highlight how shared roots can yield different worldviews. Tems grew up with Celine Dion; Saka with Afrobeats. Both rose to stardom, each following a distinct path rooted in their experiences.Meanwhile, Saka continues to deliver on the pitch. With 9 goals and 7 assists across 37 appearances this season, including the winner against Brighton in Arsenal’s latest Premier League outing, he is helping the Gunners maintain a seven-point lead at the top of the table. Arsenal’s quadruple pursuit continues. Saka’s knowledge of Celine Dion does not.
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- Celine Dion has sold over 200 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists in history. Her 1997 hit “My Heart Will Go On” from the Titanic soundtrack remains one of the most globally recognised songs ever recorded.
- Bukayo Saka was born in Ealing, west London, on September 5, 2001, to Nigerian parents of Yoruba descent. He has spoken openly about maintaining his Nigerian heritage and visited Lagos in 2023 to spend time with extended family members.
- Tems’ real name is Temilade Openiyi. She was born in Lagos in 1995 and rose to global recognition after her 2020 collaboration with Wizkid on “Essence” became one of the most streamed Afrobeats songs of all time before winning her a Grammy.
- Abbey Road Studios in St John’s Wood, London, where the episode was filmed, is most famous as the recording home of The Beatles, and is considered one of the most historically significant music recording venues anywhere in the world.
- GuiltyBeatz, the Ghanaian producer who appeared alongside Saka and Tems in the episode, has won multiple Grammys and is credited on Tems’ debut album “Born in the Wild” as well as her earlier EP “If Orange Was a Place,” which helped establish her as a major international talent.
- Arsenal’s new digital platform, “The Arsenal,” where “The Link Up” series is available, was launched as part of the club’s broader strategy to create exclusive fan content and deepen engagement with a global supporter base that skews increasingly young and internationally diverse.
- Saka’s 9 goals and 7 assists across all competitions this season make him one of Arsenal’s most consistent attacking contributors, continuing a remarkable run of form that has made him one of the first names on the England teamsheet under any manager in recent years.