Talented singer, Tems, delves into the complexities that accompany fame and success, shedding light on her transition from Afrobeats to R&B, in an enlightening conversation featured in Interview Magazine.
Discussing her journey, Tems openly acknowledged the inherent pressures and challenges that come hand in hand with achieving recognition. However, she maintains her authenticity and navigates these intricacies by staying true to herself.
In her own words, she shared: "When you become more known or seen, it’s very easy to get caught up in, 'What do people expect of me now?' But for me, it’s like, 'What do I expect of myself now?' Because you’re the one that has to live with yourself, the one that has to sleep with the decisions that you make. Trusting yourself is so key, and I’m not going to stop trusting my guts just because people can see me now. It’s like being in a zoo. The animals don’t change their behavior just because you’re looking at them. They’re always going to be who they are. So why should I change?"
The Grammy award-winning artist also opened up about her profound affinity for the R&B genre and the shift she made from Afrobeats. She expressed that her intent with R&B was to convey a message, to resonate with her audience on a deeper level. She shared her unwavering belief in her craft, explaining, "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."
Despite receiving advice from various quarters to focus on Afrobeats due to its popularity, Tems remained steadfast in her pursuit of R&B. She recounted the advice she received: "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."
Yet, she chose to stand her ground, prioritizing her artistic expression over financial gain: "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."
Tems' narrative underlines her commitment to artistic integrity and her willingness to remain true to her creative vision, regardless of conventional advice or financial considerations.
