“I Was Prepared To Die, I Didn’t Care If I Never Became Anything Or Anyone” – SInger Tems

Nigerian singer, Temilade Opeyemi, popular known as Tems, has shared her journey of gaining recognition for her music, even before she achieved international fame.

During an interview with Interview Magazine on Tuesday, Tems spoke with American rapper Kendrick Lamar about her experiences as a new artist trying to find her place in the music world, particularly in Nigeria.

The singer said that many people advised her to pursue mainstream Afrobeats music instead of the R&B genre that she was passionate about.

Tem said that despite uncertainty about whether her decision would bring her success or fame, she chose to follow her heart and it paid off.

Tems also revealed that she drew inspiration from artists like popular R&B star, Celine Dion, who create music that evokes intense emotions.

She said she wanted her music to consistently provide that Celine Dion’s feeling, which she felt Afrobeats didn’t necessarily offer her.

She said, “I was prepared to die. I believed in myself so much that I didn’t really care if I never became anything or anyone. I just wanted to get a message out. I wanted to get my frequency out. And I was like, ‘Even if ten people hear this, it’s fine.’

“But also along the way, I used to listen to a lot of Nigerian music and I wasn’t getting a lot of spiritual—I love Celine Dion, so, I love that intense feeling of, I’m about to jump off a cliff.

“That’s how I want my music to feel all the time, and Afrobeats wasn’t necessarily giving me that type of stimulation.

“Everyone I asked for advice was like, ‘The only way you can do this is Afrobeats. It’s not that your music is bad, it’s just that it doesn’t fit in Nigeria. Nigerians don’t like this’.”

Discussing her priorities, Tems admitted that while earning money was good, she is more interested in “chasing a frequency”

“There’s artists I’ve loved all my life, that when they reach a certain stage, the music loses that frequency, it loses that touch they had. And I always wondered why.

“Why do I have to lose that touch? I don’t actually care where I end up. If I’m under a bridge and I have a way to make music, I’m going to be good.

“That’s what led me to meet the people that connected to that music. There was no indication that I would’ve ended up here. Nobody could have told me I would be sitting here in London speaking to you, Kendrick Lamar” she continued.

Tems said that her pursuit of this essence led her to connect with people who resonated with her music. Her success story took an unexpected turn when her collaboration with Wizkid, “Essence,” became a global hit in 2021. The song marked her debut on the Billboard Hot 100 at number nine.

Since then, Tems has achieved numerous records and received international awards and nominations.

She made history as the first Nigerian female artist to win a Grammy award, specifically in the Best Melodic Rap Performance category in 2023 for her collaboration with Future and Drake on “Wait for U.”

“Wait for U” also made history on the Billboard charts. In April 2022, it became the first song by a Nigerian female artist to debut at the top spot of the Hot 100 charts.

KanyiDaily recalls that Tems was recently nominated for Best Female R&B/Pop Artist, Best Collaboration, and Viewers Choice at the 2023 Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards.