Tems, a Nigerian musician, has talked candidly about how success has fundamentally altered her everyday schedule, affecting even minor aspects of her life, such as her ability to drive herself around Lagos.
During her recent Big Boy TV guest appearance, the singer talked about her experience becoming famous, the difficulties she faced adjusting to it, and the need to let go of her previous loneliness.
Upon being asked if she is well-known in Nigeria, Tems said, “I am very famous at home, so I can’t really go anywhere.”
She added, “I can’t drive anywhere because our local males know who I am.
I used to try driving, but last year I nearly got mobbed for trying to drive myself. cops cars must now be in front of me and behind me, and if I want to drive alone, there will have to be cops swarming behind me. If I’m in Nigeria, I need police escorts in front and behind me if I want to feel normal and live a normal life again. I can’t pretend that I want to drive and feel like a typical girl.
The Afrobeat artist also talked candidly about her own experience adjusting to stardom, acknowledging that it hasn’t always been simple, particularly given her shy personality.
“At first, I didn’t take the fame well,” she acknowledged. I eventually wanted to return to my room and be by myself because I needed some alone time. Even with my team, I didn’t take it well because I had never had to adjust to having to interact and have conversations before. I was quite direct and impolite. I wouldn’t describe it as impolite, but I would say things that were clear but not what I was supposed to say.
Tems described how, although being aware that, as a well-known individual, she was no longer allowed to act in such a manner, she even used to confront anyone who made disparaging remarks about her.
“I would approach someone and ask, ‘Do we have a problem?’ when I heard somebody say something negative about me. Are we all right? and I was then instructed not to approach individuals,” she recalled.
“I’m a quiet person, but I just wanted to know why someone was spreading rumors about me,” she continued. I was unable to approach some of these individuals since they were well-known in the field. I had to start from scratch and learn everything.
