Grammy-winning Nigerian singer Temilade Openiyi, widely known as Tems, has shared her childhood struggles with bullying and isolation due to the unique tone of her voice.
The talented artist, who graces the cover of The Cut Magazine for January 2024, unveiled the emotional challenges she faced growing up and how it shaped her journey.
In an interview with The Cut, Tems disclosed that she refrained from speaking until the age of three, as her voice didn’t conform to societal expectations for girls. The consequences were severe, with the artist revealing that she became a target of bullying and ridicule, leading to self-consciousness and a belief that her voice was considered unattractive.
Recalling those difficult times, Tems shared, “I was bullied to the point of tears and was a target of ridicule. This led to the belief that I sounded like a boy, or a frog, with the impression that my voice was ugly.”
The revelation sheds light on the emotional toll she endured, emphasizing the impact on her self-esteem and perception of her own voice. Tems, who was recently announced as a headliner alongside Afrobeat artists Tyla and Spinall for the 2024 edition of the Coachella Festival, expressed how her isolated childhood pushed her to connect with others through music.
“I was always in my little world. When I did make friends, I would try to make them sing my songs, and other girls had these sweet, high voices and my voice had a bass,” she shared, highlighting the struggle to fit in with peers who had different vocal tones.
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