Rappers often rap about choosing money over fame. This is the same for Nigerian superstar musician Tems, who reveals that she priotises comfort over recognition.
Reflecting on her success and rise to fame in a recent interview with CNN, the Grammy winner spoke about her come-up and the misconceptions people often have about fame.
According to her, she never set out to chase popularity, but to remain true to her craft no matter where it landed her.
I wasn’t thinking, is this working or not working? I was just like, well, I’m going to be me. If being me lands me under the bridge, cool. If it lands me on top of the mountain, cool.
Tems explained that fame doesn’t always bring happiness or fulfilment, emphasising that comfort and stability are more important.
Fame is not what you want; you could be famous and uncomfortable, famous and unsuccessful. What you really want is to be comfortable, you want to be able to provide for yourself, and fame is not always that.
When you’re as successful as Tems, fame is a bonus
Tems might not have set out to be famous, but fame was always going to be an inevitable part of her success. Tems first gained commercial acclaim in 2019 with her single ‘Try Me,’ before rocketing to international success with her decisive contribution to Wizkid’s mega hit single ‘Essence,’ which became the first Nigerian song to reach the top 10 of Billboard Hot 100.
Her international success led to collaborations with global megastars Beyoncé and Drake. She was also on Future’s Wait For U, which earned her a Grammy win for Best Melodic Rap Performance.
Among her other accolades his a BET win for Best International Act, making her the first African female star to accomplish that feat. She’s also the first Nigerian artist to be nominated for the Oscar Awards after penning ‘Lift Me Up,’ the soundtrack for Marvel’s ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ performed by Rihanna.
Tems might not have wanted fame, but she’s leveraging it to empower female creatives in the music industry. In her interview with CNN, she shared that her Leading Vibe Initiative was created to empower women in the music industry between the ages of 18 – 35 with skills to be successful in their respective niches.
