The Grammy-winning Nigerian singer Temilade Openiyi, better known by her stage name, Tems, has talked candidly about her early career.
At the start of her career, the “Essence” crooner acknowledged that she was incredibly ignorant.
Tems recently talked about how it took her some time to figure out how to deal with the music industry in a constructive way in an interview with Glamour Magazine Germany. She stated:
“I don’t want to lie. I was very naive at the beginning of my career – I just wanted to make good art. I had to learn how to navigate the music business in a healthy way.”
Tems shared that her management and family have been her backbone. The singer added:
“I would say that it is both my management and my family that keep me grounded. Especially my family, my mother and my brother.”
In a different story, Tems shared that she considers herself “super famous” in Nigeria.
During an interview on Big Boy TV in the United States, Tems explained that her celebrity status sometimes makes it challenging to move around freely in Nigeria.
She recounted a near-mob experience while driving in Lagos last December.
Tems noted that, due to her level of fame, she can no longer drive in Nigeria without a police escort.
“I used to drive in Nigeria, but now I can’t drive. I almost got mobbed last December. If I want to drive, I must have police escorts at the front and the back,” she said.
Tems said she struggled with fame because she’s an introvert but later adjusted.
