Temilade Openiyi, a Nigerian singer better known by her stage name Tems, detailed how she experienced psychological and financial hardships prior to finding success.
The music diva admitted in an interview with GQ magazine that she didn't become famous overnight since she had financial difficulties as a child.
She recalled how poor and helpless she had once been, forcing her to turn to stealing food in order to survive.
She said, “I couldn’t take care of anybody. There were times when I was not just broke and hopeless. I used to steal food. I used to go to my aunty’s house just so she could give me food to take home.”
“I just felt like, what is the point of me existing right now? You have to remember those times. Because that person does not exist anymore.”
The singer also claimed before hitting the limelight, she had to work on her self-esteem
“The decision I made was to not wallow in sadness. This person that can never be anything. I didn’t have any self-esteem. I didn’t think I was pretty. I didn’t even think of my voice as anything,” she said
She further stated, “I just thought, there are so many people that can sing, I’m not a model, I don’t dance, but whatever chance I have, I’ll take it. Even if I end up singing under a bridge somewhere, I’ll be the best under-the-bridge singer ever.”