Tems has shared personal insights into her struggle with self-rejection and how it once affected her ability to accept love from others.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, and producer spoke about her internal battles, revealing that she had become so used to rejecting herself that it shaped how she responded to people who genuinely cared for her.
The singer who is widely known for her global breakthrough on Essence with Wizkid and collaborations with Beyonce, Drake, and Future, explained that self-rejection had become her default mindset.
“I feel like I had been, in my mind, rejected so much that when I found people that finally accepted me, because I’m used, I was so used to rejecting myself, I couldn’t accept their love.
“I couldn’t accept that, their acceptance. I rejected myself before anybody even, so I was waiting for the rejection. I was expecting it. That was my normal daily life,” she stated during a conversation with Angie Martinez.
The Love Me Jeje singer admitted that her thoughts often made her feel undeserving of affection, even from those who sincerely wanted to show her care.
Despite these experiences, she stressed the value of self-awareness, encouraging people to reflect on their emotions and confront their fears. She said, “I always encourage people to become aware.”
The Lagos-born artiste, whose real name is Temilade Openiyi, rose to prominence with her 2020 hit Damages and has since gained international acclaim, including an Academy Award nomination for co-writing Lift Me Up by Rihanna for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
