Grammy-winning singer, Temilade Openiyi, known professionally as Tems, has disclosed that she experienced bullying due to her voice, which she found distinctive.

Reflecting on her childhood in a recent interview with ‘The Cut’, she revealed that she refrained from speaking until age three.

Introducing our January Cut cover star: ⭐ @temsbaby ⭐ At 28, she has a Grammy, near-universal acclaim, and collaborations with the biggest names in music — all before releasing an album. Read the cover story by @nopecon.

Photographed by Andrew Vowleshttps://t.co/ggmHnbsmTp pic.twitter.com/38f8SUEcE8

— The Cut (@TheCut) January 15, 2024

I was bullied to the point of tears and was a target of ridicule. This led to the belief that I sounded like a boy, or a frog, with the impression that my voice was ugly.

https://www.instagram.com/thecut?igsh=Y2R1aGsxemRxdHdi

“I was always in my own little world. When I did make friends, I would try to make them sing my songs and other girls had these sweet, high voices and my voice had a bass”, she added.

Tems confessed to feeling self-conscious as her unique voice became a target for ridicule, leading to a belief that it sounded like a boy or a frog.

The bullying affected her deeply, and she often felt isolated, even using music as a way to cope with the challenge of making friends.

Story: Christy Dung

Media: TheCut/ X

CLICK NAIJA 2024