Nigeria’s internationally acclaimed songstress Temilade Openiyi a.k.a Tems, said her dressing to the 2023 Grammy Awards made her feel like a princess, despite claims by music fans on social media Tems obstructed the views many spectators at the event.
Tems was dressed in a white sculptural gown by Ukrainian brand, Lever Couture’s AW22, Leleka Couture collection. The gown features a large headpiece which makes it difficult for anyone behind Tems to see what is in front owing to how view-obstructing the headpiece is.
“It was a huge deal and it was my first Oscars and when I first saw this dress I was like, ‘This is quite much this is quite a lot for me. It looks like a cloud or a flowing stream,” Tems said in an interview.
” I felt like a princess in the dress and people were taking pictures of me and with me even If they didn’t know me. Even prestigious old white men took pictures with me and I was like ‘They don’t know me’ but they just thought I looked cute.
“We were supposed to change from this dress inside but we didn’t get the time to and they scooped my stylist away so I was stuck with this.
“That’s how it became this whole viral moment with the blocking. But there was no blocking, I needed to put that out there. The person behind me loved what I was wearing and he could see because the stage was up so nobody looked straight.
“When I meet anyone in fashion, they’re like ‘Oh yeah, you’re the girl, you’re the one who caused all that trouble that day.”
