“There shouldn’t be a standard for what people should dress like” – Singer Tems

• Nigerian singer Tems has discussed the evolution of her style and self-expression, emphasizing the significance of authenticity.

• In an interview with Essence Magazine’s Karefa Johnson, Tems emphasized that her unique dress sense is a result of being true to herself.

Nigerian artist Tems has provided reflections on the evolution of her personal style and self-expression, underscoring the significance of authenticity. In a recent interview with Karefa Johnson from Essence Magazine, Tems articulated that her unique fashion sense arises organically from her commitment to being genuine, rather than from an intention to convey a specific message.

The artist remarked, “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 also discussed the societal pressure to adhere to certain fashion norms, particularly for artists and women, emphasizing that individual differences should negate the existence of a universal standard for attire. She stated, “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 her reply, Tems conveyed gratitude for being perceived as a role model in this context and reaffirmed her commitment to 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.