Temilade Openiyi, better known by her stage name Tems, is a Nigerian musician. She has explained why she chose to wear a dress to the 2023 Oscars that obstructed her view.

On Sunday, the famous award event was hosted at the Dolby Centre in Los Angeles. Many of Hollywood’s most talented actors and actresses were in attendance, and they wowed in a variety of stunning outfits.

Tems wore a one-of-a-kind, white, sculptural gown that was made especially for her by the Ukrainian label Lever Couture’s AW22, Leleka Couture collection. The lengthy headpiece, which is included on the gown, has been criticized for impeding the vision of other audience members who were present at the event.

In an interview conducted prior to the Academy Awards, Tems provided Harper’s Bazaar with information on the controversial gown’s creation behind the scenes.

According to the person who presented her with the Grammy award, she chose to “go all out” and “make the most” of her first time attending the Oscars.

“Two years ago, I would’ve said no to this dress,” she said. “But it’s my first Oscars — I am going to go all out. I really wanted to make the most of the day. The dress is also my way of celebrating my work and the people around me, celebrating my country, and celebrating the people that are rooting for me. This dress says ‘Yes, yes, I am here!’”

The vocalist who is best known for her work on the song “Crazy Tings” commented on her recent revolutionary achievements on the international music scene and stated that this was just the beginning for her. Tems stated that the fact that she has worked with such musical heavyweights as Beyonce and Rihanna was evidence that she was heading in the “correct direction.”

“If some of the most powerful women in the world find my work so satisfying that they want to collaborate with me, then that should tell you something,” she said. My work is genuinely going places, and it is having some kind of an effect on those locations.

“And that is really bonkers! In all honesty, all I’m trying to do is keep my feet on the ground, keep running, and keep doing things that are one hundred percent true to who I am as a person. advancing, gaining knowledge, and developing. She explained that “this is only the beginning for me.”

Tems received a nomination for Best Original Song at this year’s Academy Awards for the song “Lift Me Up,” which she co-wrote with the singer Rihanna, the music producer Ludwig Goransson, and the director of Black Panther, Ryan Coogler. The song was featured on the film’s soundtrack.

Nonetheless, Kaala Bhairava and Rahul Sipligunj’s performance of “Naatu Naatu” emerged victorious in this category.