Tems Reveals How She Received Death Threats Over Pregnancy Rumours
Grammy-winning Nigerian singer, Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, recently revealed that she faced death threats following pregnancy rumours that circulated on social media. The acclaimed artist clarified the misconceptions during an interview with The Beat 99.9 FM, Lagos.
The speculation emerged after Tems attended Burberry’s Spring/Summer 2024 London Fashion Week show, where she wore a black dress with a purple fluffy coat and matching heels. Observers interpreted the outfit as a signal of pregnancy due to the way the dress clung to her body.
In the interview, Tems disclosed that the rumours led to disturbing messages and death threats via social media. She expressed surprise at the severity of the reactions and recounted receiving messages questioning her alleged choice of American rapper Future as the father. Tems clarified that she has never met Future personally, despite collaborating on the Grammy-winning song ‘Wait For U’ alongside Drake.
“When I heard [the rumours] that I was pregnant, I didn’t actually think anybody believed it. I didn’t know it was serious until I started getting messages like death threats, like, ‘How dare you? Of all the people in the world, Future, really?’ And I’ve never met him in my life. So it’s crazy,” Tems shared during the interview.
Amid the discussion, Tems also expressed her admiration for YBNL star Asake and her desire to direct a music video for him. She emphasized that her appreciation for Asake’s artistry is solely work-related and clarified that they share a professional connection after working together.
The interview provided insight into the challenges artists face with misinformation on social media, shedding light on the emotional toll it can take on their well-being.
