Tems diagnosed with Reflux Laryngitis, takes break from music

The Nigerian pop star Tems has been diagnosed with reflux laryngitis, and the singer informed her fans in an Instagram post. In the post shared on Tuesday, Tems said that she was diagnosed with the illness after her last performance. She further added that she would have to take a break from music, and all her shows scheduled had been postponed.

Tems is one of the most prominent young pop stars hailing from the African continent, and her ailment has shocked her fans worldwide. Following the post, artists started wishing her good health and luck, including Bree Runway, Denola Grey, and Shaydee Folarin. Tems was scheduled to perform in Birmingham on June 15 and London on July 17. As per doctors’ recommendation, both the shows have been postponed, and new dates for them will be announced soon.

Tems also informed us that all tickets sold for the postponed shows are valid and apologised for the inconvenience. Reflux laryngitis is a voice disease arising out of irritation and swelling in the vocal folds. The disease is caused by the backflow of stomach fluids like acids and enzymes, a process technically known as laryngopharyngeal reflux. These stomach fluids cause damage to the oesophagus, throat, and voice box.


The July 17 London show was Tems’s first in the city, and she appeared to be extremely upset about postponing it. However, Tems promised her fans that she would be back better than ever and give them the best show.

Temilade Openyi, aka Tems, is a 27-year-old Nigerian singer and songwriter who managed to hit the US Billboard Hot 100 in 2021. She also earned a Grammy Award nomination for the remix of her song ‘Essence,’ which also hit the top 10 charts. Tems was also ranked Next Big Sound on Billboard last year.