Nigerian Alternative R&B and Afrobeats singer Temilade Openiyi, professionally known as Tems, is renowned for her striking looks and curvaceous figure. Despite her natural allure, the Grammy award winner recently revealed in an interview that she doesn’t want anyone to be seduced by her.
Tems, who acknowledges her effect on the opposite sex, shared her thoughts in a video on one of her backup pages. She mentioned that she used to struggle with accepting her body, especially while navigating the music industry. Her objective has always been to make music and learn, without being distracted by her appearance.
“As crazy as it sounds, I used to not always like my body. I just didn’t understand a lot of things. I was going to a lot of studios alone, meeting people I have never met. Meeting people I never knew and who didn’t know me. I wanted to help a lot of people, I wanted to produce, produce for people I could help,” she explained.
Tems elaborated that she often wore baggy clothes to the studio to avoid being a distraction. “When I go to the studio I wear baggy clothes. I’m in my alpha mode because I want you not to be seduced by me. I’m not going to be like… oh it’s your choice. Fine, it’s your choice if you want to be seduced or not, but when I’m at work I don’t want to be the one dishing it out. The way I pull up they can tell she’s just here to work and we work.”
While she manages to keep her provocative figure under wraps in the studio, Tems’ stage performances are another story. Her onstage presence is as captivating as her music, much like her contemporaries Tiwa Savage and Ayra Starr.
In the same interview, Tems also noted that Nigerians may not fully understand her music but expressed her appreciation for their support. “I don’t think Nigerians understand my kind of music but I feel appreciated as a person by Nigerians,” she said.
