Tems advocates for authenticity, says individuality should be celebrated

Nigerian singer Tems has opened up about her personal style and self-expression, stressing the importance of being true to oneself. 

In an interview with Essence Magazine’s Karefa Johnson, Tems shared her thoughts on individuality and the pressure to conform to certain standards.

Tems explained, “You should be yourself even if something else is expected of you. You win, automatically, when you are yourself, no matter what that looks like. That’s why there’s variety.” Also, she emphasized that people’s uniqueness should be celebrated, rather than trying to fit into predetermined molds.

“We’re different and are not all meant to be the same. And I know there’s a standard, but there shouldn’t be one. There shouldn’t be a standard for what people should dress like if they’re artists, or what people should dress like if they’re women. I just feel like we’re all unique. There shouldn’t be a requirement. That’s what I mean by standard. There shouldn’t be a requirement or some kind of expectation that you dress a certain way,” Tems said.

Meanwhile, when asked about being a role model for self-love and acceptance, Tems expressed gratitude and reiterated her focus on authenticity. “I appreciate that that’s what’s coming across. And I do think people should be themselves. I can’t really be anybody else. It’s just not going to work. You are doing yourself a disservice by trying to be someone else. You should just be who you are. Once you start trying, you’ve already missed the road. That’s a takeaway from how I live my life for sure.”