Teniola Apata, better known by her stage as Teni, has admitted that she once believed that her older sister, Niniola, a singer, was envious of her skill because of Niniola’s critical remarks about Teni’s voice.
Teni reminisced about practising with her sisters as a child while speaking in an episode of the Tea With Tay podcast.
Despite Doyin, their eldest sister, claiming that she had a musical voice, she claimed that Niniola insisted that her voice was not “sweet.”
She claimed that the latter’s scathing critique left her feeling envious of her.
“My elder sister, Doyin, who is older than Nini [Niniola], may have been lying because she didn’t want to hurt me; she used to compliment my melodic voice whenever I sing in my early years,” Teni remarked. Nini, on the other hand, would criticise my voice as being unappealing. So, I assumed that she was envious of me.
“Niniola pulled me aside and warned me not to fall for Doyin’s deception. You sing from your stomach, she said at this point. I would therefore listen to Nini sing every time. I consequently began singing as well.
My school had planned an event, and when I sang, everyone in the school rose up and applauded. I announced, “I’ve arrived.” When I returned home to inform Nini that everyone had applauded my singing in class, she suggested that I continue singing the song. Nini also applauded me when I sang it. We are planning something, I said.