Nigerian Grammy-winning singer, Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has spoken about the challenges she faced after attaining fame in the music industry.
Speaking on “The Boost Podcast,” the singer said she had always desired success in music but was unprepared for the intense public attention that accompanied it.
Tems disclosed that she initially struggled to adjust to life in the spotlight and sometimes denied her identity in public in an effort to protect her privacy.
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“I would go to the airport, and people would say, ‘You’re Tems.’ I would be like, ‘No, I’m not Tems.’ I was so afraid. I wanted to continue my secret life, and I was like, ‘God, please, I don’t want to be in the spotlight,” she said.
The singer explained that she eventually came to terms with her growing popularity when it became impossible to avoid public recognition.
Tems left her job as a digital marketer in 2018 to pursue a full-time career in music and released her debut single, Mr Rebel, the same year.
Her international breakthrough came in 2020 following her appearance on Wizkid’s hit song, Essence, which earned global acclaim and expanded her audience beyond Nigeria.
Since then, Tems has established herself as one of Africa’s leading music stars, earning international recognition for her contributions to the global music industry.
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