Nigerian singer and songwriter Temilade Openiyi, known popularly as Tems, has had to postpone two international shows due to a vocal cord illness.
Tems informed the public about this sad development with her voice via her Twitter profile, explaining why the two performances were postponed.
The singer wrote in a poignant message; “It kills my heart to say this, but there’s no other option for me, I’m not in the best of moods right now”.
“I was diagnosed with Reflux laryngitis after my last performance, and I’ll have to take some time off to protect what’s left of my voice.”
Reflux Laryngitis is a voice condition caused by the backflow of stomach juices into the throat, which causes irritation and swelling of the vocal cords.
— TEMS (@temsbaby) June 14, 2022
The disturbance can also harm the vocal cords and alter one’s voice, especially if the reflux is severe enough to produce inflammation.
Tems revealed that her Doctors advised her not to sing, which prompted the postponement of her Birmingham and London shows, which had earlier been scheduled for June 15 and July 17, respectively.
Nigerians have flocked to the singer’s social media posts in droves to wish her a speedy recovery and show their support.
Adele was another singer who came close to losing their voices due to throat sickness, she had to undergo surgery and adjust her diet owing to acid refluxes in 2011,
Miley Cyrus too had to recover from a period of silence that lasted several weeks. The list goes on and on with Mariah Carey, Frank Ocean, Justin Timberlake, Bjork, Sam Smith, Michael Buble, and so on.
Tems has had a successful music career in and outside Nigeria. She is the first Nigerian artiste to top the Billboard 100 chart with her “Wait for you” feature on the album of American rapper Future.
