Grammy award-winning Nigerian singer Temilade Openiyi, widely known as Tems, has revealed that despite achieving international musical success, she initially struggled with the public fame that accompanied her rise to stardom.

Speaking on a recent episode of The Boost Podcast, the singer disclosed that she went to great lengths to hide her identity from fans early in her career because she was uncomfortable being in the spotlight.

Tems explained that she wanted to maintain her privacy while continuing to record music behind the scenes.

"I would go to the airport and people say, ‘You’re Tems.’ I will be like, ‘No, I’m not Tems,’" she recalled. "I was so afraid, I wanted to continue my secret life, and I was like, ‘God please, I don’t want to be in the spotlight.’"

The singer noted that she only began adjusting to public recognition when her growing global visibility made it impossible to conceal her identity.

Tems quit her corporate role as a digital marketer in 2018 to pursue a full-time music career, debuting with her self-produced single Mr Rebel that same year.

She gained widespread international acclaim after collaborating with Wizkid on the 2020 hit single Essence, which led to historic chart placements, global record deals, and a Grammy Award for her contribution to Future's Wait for U.

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