Tems reveals a lot about her career in a recent interview with Kendrick Lamar.

In a conversation published via Interview Magazine on Tuesday (August 29), the Grammy-winning pair discussed the pressures of attaining success and the sometimes negative elements that can come with it.

“You have to remember how you felt when you started as an artist, to understand the reason you’re doing what you’re doing,” she told K Dot. “Yes, it’s to be seen, or to make a name for yourself, but beyond that, why are you doing it? Most of the time it’s because you have a story to share, a message to give.”

The Nigerian singer-songwriter also noted that self-expectations are far more important than ones put on by fans or the general public.

“Trusting yourself is so key, and I’m not going to stop trusting my guts just because people can see me now,” she said. “It’s like being in a zoo. The animals don’t change their behavior just because you’re looking at them. They’re always going to be who they are. So why should I change?”

Tems is approaching her debut full-length album after releasing the critically acclaimed EPs For Broken Ears and If Orange Was a Place in 2020 and 2021, respectively. In November 2022, she appeared on the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack by contributing a “No Woman, No Cry” cover and co-writing Rihanna’s “Lift Me Up.”