I Used To Steal Food – Tems Goes Down Memory Lane

Nigerian singer-songwriter, Temilade Openiyi, better known as Tems, has opened up about the dark times in her life when she was forced to steal food to survive.

Tems disclosed this during her interview with GQ magazine where she stated that she was very broke and hopeless during that period, and had to visit an aunt to get food which she would then take home.

She said; “There were times when I was not just broke; I was 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.”

According to Tems, when she released “Mr Rebel”, she was living alone and struggling financially, noting that she was putting pressure on herself to assist and provide for her family.

She added that to focus on her music journey, she had to quit her job which made things even harder as the lack of a stable job meant she would not be able to cater for everyone.

Furthermore, the Try Me crooner said that she had to go on a journey of self-discovery and growth in order to achieve her dreams of having a successful music career.

“The decision I made was to not wallow in sadness and chose to stop seeing myself as “this person that can never be anything”.

Tems added; “I didn’t have any self-esteem. I didn’t think I was pretty. I didn’t even think of my voice as anything. 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.”