Grammy-winning Nigerian singer Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has revealed that she was prepared to face grave consequences when she ditched afrobeats, the famous genre in the country, to do R&B.
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In an interview with Kendrick Lamar, published in the latest volume of Interview Magazine, Tems said that she felt like afrobeats was not giving her the type of stimulation she wanted creatively. She said that she was drawn to the soulfulness and vulnerability of R&B, and she was determined to pursue her passion even if it meant alienating her fans.
“I was prepared to die,” Tems said. “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.”
Tems’ decision to ditch afrobeats was met with mixed reactions. Some fans were supportive, while others were critical. However, Tems has never wavered in her commitment to her art.
“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,” she said. “That’s how I want my music to feel all the time, and Afrobeats wasn’t necessarily giving me that type of stimulation.”
Tems’ decision has paid off. She has since become a global star, with her music being streamed millions of times around the world. She has also collaborated with some of the biggest names in the music industry, including Drake, Future, and Wizkid.
Tems is an inspiration to many young musicians. She shows that it is possible to follow your dreams, even if it means going against the grain. She is a true artist, and her music is a gift to the world.
In addition to her Grammy win, Tems has also won several other awards, including the BET Award for Best New Artist and the MTV Europe Music Award for Best African Act. She is currently working on her debut album, which is expected to be released later this year.
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