Grammy Award-winning artist Temilade Openiyi, better known as Tems, recently opened up about the reason behind the delay in the release of her debut album in 2021.
In a candid interview with the New York Times, Tems revealed that she had to undergo surgery and six months of recovery due to a serious illness.
The talented singer, who was on her way to Los Angeles for rehearsals ahead of her debut performance at the Coachella music festival, had to put her plans on hold after her health took a turn for the worse.
Instead of releasing her much-anticipated debut album, Tems decided to drop her second extended play, titled ‘If Orange Was a Place’.
Despite facing a daunting health challenge, Tems used her experience as inspiration for her music, describing it as a reflection of her warrior spirit. “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,” she said.
Known for her hit collaboration with Wizkid on the song ‘Essence’, Tems shared that her music explores the duality of her life, navigating themes of willfulness and submission, control and freedom, tension and release.
