Nigerian singer Tems has said protecting her peace and prioritising a life she enjoys have become more important to her than the pressure to remain relevant in the music industry.
The Grammy-winning singer made this known in an interview with EE72, published on Monday, October 12, 2026, where she reflected on fame, personal growth and her evolving relationship with music.
Tems, whose real name is Temilade Openiyi, said she was learning to understand herself better and no longer felt the need to prove her worth to others.
“I’m not trying to prove who I am. I know what’s for me and what’s not for me,” she said, describing herself as being in a good place and learning to appreciate each moment.
The 31-year-old singer explained that while she values her achievements, she is increasingly conscious of the personal costs that can come with fame.
“Wanting fame is not a bad thing, but there’s always a cost. I know the price that I’m willing to pay,” she said.
She added that her long-term ambition was to build a life that would allow her to make music on her own terms, without feeling compelled to release an album simply to remain relevant.
“I want to wake up at 50 and decide I’m doing an album and not for reasons of relevancy, or because I need to get ‘back in the game’,” she said.
Tems opens up on upcoming album
Beyond her reflections on personal peace, the singer revealed that she is working on the follow-up to her 2024 debut album, Born in the Wild.
According to Tems, the forthcoming project will lean more towards R&B, with a melancholic, mellow and lo-fi sound.
She also discussed her instinctive approach to songwriting, explaining that she rarely writes lyrics on paper and often begins by freestyling over music.
Using her collaboration with British rapper Dave, “Raindance”, as an example, she revealed that she improvised into her phone for about 30 minutes before the recording was pieced together with the contributions of the production team.
Tems said songwriting also helps her process difficult emotions and move forward from painful experiences.
The singer rose to international prominence following her collaboration with Wizkid on “Essence” and has since worked with global acts including Drake, Future, Beyoncé and Rihanna.
Her achievements include two Grammy Awards and an Oscar nomination for “Lift Me Up”, which she co-wrote for Rihanna for the film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Tems has also established the Leading Vibe Initiative, which supports the development of women in music, particularly in areas such as music production and engineering.
Her latest comments offer a glimpse into a different measure of success for the singer: not simply the accolades she collects, but the freedom to live and create on her own terms.
Discussion0