Tems Reveals Why She Denied Being Herself After Fans Recognised Her

Grammy-winning Nigerian singer Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has opened up about her early struggles with fame and the difficulty she experienced adjusting to life in the public eye.

According to Bush Radio Academy, Tems made the revelation while speaking on an episode of The Boost Podcast, where she reflected on how uncomfortable she initially felt whenever fans recognised her in public.

The singer explained that, despite her growing success as an artiste, she initially wanted to preserve the private life she had before becoming widely known. She said the fear of losing her anonymity made her uncomfortable with the attention that came with her rising music career.

Tems recalled instances when fans approached her at airports and other public places after recognising her. According to the singer, she sometimes denied being Tems in an attempt to avoid attracting further attention.

She explained that she was particularly concerned about losing the quiet and private lifestyle she had enjoyed before attaining widespread recognition.

However, as her career continued to expand and her music attracted an increasingly large audience, Tems said she gradually realised that avoiding public attention was becoming difficult.

The singer noted that she eventually began adjusting to the spotlight and the level of recognition that accompanied her success, even though she had initially hoped to remain out of the public eye.

Reflecting on those early experiences, Tems said she would sometimes deny her identity when people identified her, adding that she had been afraid of losing her “secret life” and being thrust into the spotlight.