As November begins, Nigerian singer-songwriter Tems offers a reflection on perseverance, artistic independence and the importance of believing in one’s creative identity, even when recognition is slow to arrive.
In a conversation with BBC Africa, the Grammy-winning artist speaks candidly about the challenges she encountered as a woman navigating the music industry, recalling how difficult it was to find people willing to take her seriously.
“It was difficult to find people to take me seriously, but it didn’t mean that I stopped. I just kept on going,” she explains.
Her words capture an important aspect of creative development: the willingness to continue working towards something meaningful without immediate validation. For many emerging artists, the journey involves navigating rejection, uncertainty and expectations that can sometimes conflict with their own artistic instincts.
Tems understands these experiences firsthand.
The Courage to Remain Yourself
One of the most compelling moments in the interview comes when Tems discusses the pressure to change her musical identity to meet industry expectations.
“When people tell you to change your sound, change your style, you look at them and you say no,” she states.
She goes further, explaining that she was prepared to remain unsigned rather than compromise her creative direction.
“If it means me not being signed, I was OK not being signed. I went to a couple of places that didn’t sign me and I was OK with that.”
There is a particular kind of courage in accepting that an opportunity may not be the right one, especially when that opportunity appears capable of advancing one’s career.
For Tems, maintaining ownership of her artistic identity mattered more than securing approval at any cost.
Her experience offers a reminder that rejection does not always signify a lack of potential. Sometimes, it reflects a difference between an individual’s creative vision and what others are prepared to recognise or support.
Beyond Personal Success
Tems’ reflections extend beyond her own career.
She speaks about her desire to challenge the way women are perceived within the music industry, as well as the way women perceive their own possibilities.
“I’ve always wanted to redefine this perspective that women have of themselves,” she says.
Her vision is not limited to performers. She specifically acknowledges producers, audio engineers, instrumentalists and managers, recognising the many professional roles through which women contribute to music.
It is an important distinction.
Conversations about women’s representation in music frequently centre on the visibility of female artists. Yet the industry also depends on the technical, managerial and creative contributions of professionals whose work often takes place away from the spotlight.
By drawing attention to these roles, Tems advocates for a broader understanding of participation and opportunity.
Her message suggests that meaningful progress requires more than celebrating individual success stories. It also requires expanding the possibilities available to others.
A New Month, A Renewed Sense of Purpose
For this week’s Monday Motivation, Tems’ reflections offer two interconnected lessons.
The first concerns the importance of remaining committed to one’s convictions, particularly when external expectations threaten to diminish an original idea.
The second concerns what becomes possible when personal achievement develops into a desire to support the ambitions of others.
Both lessons speak to the nature of creative growth.
There will be moments when recognition is delayed, when opportunities do not materialise and when the temptation to abandon one’s instincts becomes difficult to ignore.
But progress is not always measured by how quickly others acknowledge our potential. It can also be found in the discipline to continue, the confidence to make difficult decisions and the willingness to build something that reflects our values.
As we welcome the first Monday of November, Tems reminds us that staying true to ourselves is not an obstacle to meaningful progress.
It may be one of the very things that makes that progress worthwhile.
Watch Tems’ conversation with BBC Africa.
Source: BBC Africa | Music Custodian Monday Motivation – November 2, 2026
