A biography for Tinie Tempahhasn’t been written yet.
“I was well brought up, my parents are still together. I lived in a council estate, but I don't anymore; I saw my parents buy a nice house and move me to a nice area.”
“I lived in Peckham for the first 12 years of my life and then my mum and dad decided they really didn't want to bring up their children there. So they saved up money and bought a house in Plumstead, semi-detached, three bedrooms.”
“My glasses are from Cutler & Gross. They're not prescription: I just love wearing them. I used to wear Ray-Ban a lot and then I realised that a lot of the things I've started going for are a little bit more refined. I liked the fact that I was supporting a British brand, somebody I could have a relationship with and people that I could talk to.”
“I'm into everything. My iPod is very eclectic - if you kept it on shuffle, you'd be amazed. For example, I was forced to grow up on Dolly Parton. My mum was obsessed by her. She bought all this memorabilia for the front room. It's ridiculous.”
“I really want to work with Adele, I think she's amazing. Lykke Li as well. I love them both. I'd also like to work with The Script. I met them in Australia and we just got on like a house on fire.”
“I first became interested in style when I was 16 and I had my first couple of gigs. I realised I couldn't look like the people I was performing to. Not in a condescending way, but just that it would be weird if I was wearing exactly what someone in the crowd was wearing.”
“I'm starting to think about my life, thinking about where I'm going to be in three years time: who I'm going to be with, where I'm going to be situated myself.”
“At the end of the day, you sign a record deal and you understand where it could go if you had the right song.”
“Hopefully, young people will see that you can be young and make the sacrifices to follow your dreams.”
“I met Ellie Goulding at the BRITs. She's lovely. I've got a lot of time for her. I gave her congratulations and whatnot and she let me hold her BRIT. That was amazing - once I'd touched one for the first time, I said 'This cannot be the last time I touch a BRIT.'”
“A lot of young people have all these aspirations but many of them don't believe they're possible.”
“Coming from an African background, obviously the foundation of the family home is education, probably because my parents had to work a lot harder for everything that they've got in this country.”
“I definitely believe in God.”
“I actually remember celebrating National Poetry Day at school; I remember having to write and read a load.”
“I've seen how much effort has to go into a tour, the performance and also how to look after yourself, not just physically, but mentally too.”
“My goal, my aim is to be a superstar, but not in a cheesy way. I want to go to America and do what they do. But better!”
“I don't think I've had to change anything, really, apart from being more serious and focussed on my drive. One thing I've realised is that you get out what you put in and because of that my work rate has increased ten fold.”