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Nigerian singer Tems has shared insights into how her style and self-expression have evolved and emphasised the importance of authenticity.
Speaking during a recent interview with Karefa Johnson from Essence Magazine, Tems highlighted that her distinctive dress sense is a natural outcome of being true to herself rather than trying to communicate a particular message.
The singer 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."
Tems addressed the pressure to conform to certain styles, especially for artists and women, stressing that because people are different, there shouldn't be a standard for dressing.
She said, "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."
Karefa Johnson asked, " I wonder if you have recognised that you mean so much to so many people in that way—in a “self-love and acceptance” way and an “authentically expressing yourself” kind of way. Do you accept being designated as somebody who’s pushing that kind of positivity out into the world?"
In response, Tems expressed appreciation for being seen as a role model in this regard and re-iterated 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," she said.