Tems Opens Up about Sickness, Surgery, and Six Months of Recovery

Nigerian singer Tems is speaking in a new interview with the New York Times about a lot of things, amongst them being how her journey into music happened, and more personally, about an illness, surgery, and recovery that she had to endure and undergo in 2021 which she hasn't really talked about. Here are the key things Tems revealed in her brand new interview.

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Speaking about her foray into music, Tems said:

TEMS: I used to say I wanted to be an architect, but I only said that because it seems smart. When you say ‘architect’ as a child, everyone is like, ‘Hmmm. You have your head around your shoulders.

Continuing about why she then made the change to music after studying economics in Johannesburg, and pursuing a career in digital marketing, Tems said:

TEMS: I just thought, ‘This is what I’m actually gifted at. I should do something that comes naturally to me rather than trying to force it

Then, in the most surprising part of the interview, Tems revealed her battle with an undisclosed illness. She revealed that her debut album which will now be releasing this year was supposed to come out in 2021 following the release of her second EP, If Orange Was a Place.

But then according to her, a serious illness which she declined to specify forced her into surgery and six months of recovery. Speaking about how that has made her a warrior now and given her a new lease on life, Tems said:

TEMS: You can be planning your whole life and then something happens and it’s just done. You can control what you do, but you can’t control how life lifes.

Being a warrior is about not giving up. Even if they cut your leg, you walk on your knees, you fight on your knees using what you have — and that’s good enough.

Wow, I didn't even know Tems was struggling with all that. It's good to see her recovered now and taking over the world. Thank you for diving into this story with me! Your thoughts also matter to me, so please share them in the comments below, or on my Jide Okonjo Facebook post. Let's keep the conversation going and I can't wait to read your thoughts on this.

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