Popular Nigerian singer-songwriter Temilade Openiyi, well known by his stage as Tems, has brought up past difficulties. She admitted that at one point in her life, she had to steal food to survive.
Tems stated during an interview with GQ magazine that she used to go see her aunt to pick up meals to bring home.
She said this as she described her prior hardships, noting that at the time, she had little money and felt hopeless.
She said; “There were times when I was not just broke; I was broke and hopeless. I used to steal food. I used to go to my aunty’s house just so she could give me food to take home.
“I just felt like, What is the point of me existing right now? You have to remember those times. Because that person does not exist anymore.”
Also keep in mind that Tems has disclosed that the year she released “Mr. Rebel,” she was financially strapped, living alone, and feeling pressured to support her family.
She left her work to concentrate on music, which made matters more difficult because she would no longer be able to meet everyone’s needs due to the lack of a secure, permanent career.
The Try Me singer added that in order to realize her goals of having a prosperous music career, she had to embark on a journey of self-discovery and growth.
“The decision I made was to not wallow in sadness and chose to stop seeing myself as “this person that can never be anything”.
Tems added; “I didn’t have any self-esteem. I didn’t think I was pretty. I didn’t even think of my voice as anything. I just thought, There are so many people that can sing, I’m not a model, I don’t dance, but whatever chance I have, I’ll take it. Even if I end up singing under a bridge somewhere, I’ll be the best under-the-bridge singer ever.”
