The singer has opened up about the difficult transition from pursuing music privately to becoming a recognisable global star, revealing that she once went as far as denying her identity whenever strangers recognised her in public.
Tems made the revelation while speaking on an episode of The Boost Podcast, where she reflected on her early experiences with fame and the anxiety that accompanied being thrust into the spotlight.
According to the singer, she had always wanted to succeed as a musician, but the public attention that followed her growing career was something she struggled to accept.
“I would go to the airport, and people would say, ‘You’re Tems.’ I would be like, ‘No, I’m not Tems.’ I was so afraid. I wanted to continue my secret life, and I was like, ‘God, please, I don’t want to be in the spotlight,’” she said.
Her comments offer a glimpse into the personal challenges that accompanied her rapid rise in the music industry, particularly as her growing profile began to make privacy increasingly difficult to maintain.
Tems eventually had to confront the reality of her newfound fame as her public recognition increased and attempts to remain anonymous became increasingly difficult.
Before becoming an internationally recognised recording artiste, Tems worked as a digital marketer. She left her job in 2018 to pursue music full-time, taking a decisive step towards the career that would eventually establish her as one of Nigeria’s most prominent contemporary singers.
That same year, she released her debut single, Mr Rebel, beginning a journey that would take her from Nigeria’s alternative music scene to the global stage.
Her international breakthrough came in 2020 following her appearance on Wizkid’s hit song Essence. The track became a major global success and introduced Tems to a much wider audience, significantly expanding her international profile.
Since then, her career has continued to grow, culminating in Grammy recognition and establishing her as a major voice in contemporary African music.
However, her latest recollection highlights a less visible side of that success: the adjustment required when an artist’s private identity becomes inseparable from a highly recognisable public persona.
For Tems, the journey from wanting a career in music to accepting the realities of global fame has involved learning to embrace the very spotlight she once hoped to avoid.