Dave × Tems: ‘Raindance’ and a UK–Africa Musical Bridge

There are collaborations that feel like marketing checks and collaborations that feel like deliberate artistic invitations. "Raindance," the Tems-featured track on Dave’s The Boy Who Played the Harp, is one of the year’s most understated cross-genre moments — a Dave and Tems collaboration that feels deliberate and emotionally grounded. The album’s official credits confirm Tems’ appearance, and the song itself behaves like a carefully staged scene: sparse in its production, generous in space, and attentive to mood.

Listen closely and you notice the architecture. The percussion is economical; the keys and atmospheric textures breathe and leave room in the midrange. Tems provides the melodic center — a chorus that feels incandescent and slightly weathered, the kind of voice that can carry both intimacy and gravitas. Dave approaches the verses with economical storytelling: images, not long expositions, each bar a needle-sharp detail. The pairing works because each artist respects the other’s lane and contributes what the track needs most: Tems gives the heart, Dave the framing.

99Pluz Editorial Review on the Dave and Tems Collaboration — by Chinenye Mbakwe (Multidisciplinary Music Executive)

“If Dave wasn’t a rapper, he’d prolly be a screen/scriptwriter or movie director, cos man’s an intelligent storyteller, not just a rapper. This album feels like a series, with each episode having its own unique story.And if that’s not Art!, I don’t know what else is 🤷🏾”

Originally shared via her verified X (formerly Twitter) handle @nenyembakwe, Chinenye’s review captures the cinematic storytelling essence of Dave’s artistry — particularly on “Raindance.” Her take now forms part of the 99Pluz editorial series spotlighting unique perspectives from our senior contributors.

From a 99Pluz editorial perspective, the collaboration is notable on two levels. One, it confirms the maturation of transatlantic creative ties — this is not a one-off feature, but part of a pattern where UK lyricists and African vocalists produce music that is idiomatic to both markets. Two, it shows that restraint can be as compelling as maximalism: the track’s power arrives in how little it asks of you on first listen and how much it reveals on repeat listens.

Sean’s Brief: A Chief Editor’s Take

There are a handful of artists who can make an album feel cinematic; Dave is one of them. “Raindance” is a scene in miniature — carefully lit, with a lead performance and supporting lines that deepen the mood. It’s not designed for immediate virality so much as sustained resonance. That makes it one of the week’s most interesting cross-market moves.