Tems Shares Her Story of Being Bullied for Her Unique Voice

In a recent interview with The Cut, Nigerian singer-songwriter and producer Tems opened up about her experiences with bullying and self-doubt as a child, and how she overcame these challenges to become one of the most exciting new voices in music today.

Tems, whose real name is Temilade Openiyi, first caught the attention of the music industry with her hit single “Mr. Rebel” in 2018.

Since then, she has gone on to release a string of critically acclaimed tracks and collaborate with some of the biggest names in music, including Wizkid and Khalid.

However, Tems’ journey to success was not always smooth. In her interview, she revealed that she was bullied as a child for her deep, rich voice, which many of her peers considered “too heavy.”

This led to feelings of self-doubt and insecurity, and for a time, Tems even considered giving up on her dream of becoming a singer.

“I thought my voice was too heavy to use,” she said. “I’d say, ‘I don’t know what my real voice is.'”

Despite these challenges, Tems never lost her passion for music, and she continued to hone her craft and develop her unique sound.

Eventually, she came to embrace her distinctive voice and realized that it was what set her apart from other artists.

“I started to want that deepness,” she said. “I wanted to lean into my weirdness.”

Today, Tems is one of the most celebrated and respected artists in the Nigerian music scene, and her success is a testament to her perseverance and determination in the face of adversity.

Her story is an inspiring reminder that no matter what challenges we may face, we should never give up on our dreams.