When Nigeria’s Afrobeats sensation, Rema, made a guest appearance at the O2 Arena in London during a gig by his Afrobeats compatriot Burna Boy two years ago, little did he or many knows what lies ahead of his career pathway.
He was now the main attraction at the 20,000-seat stadium. The increase comes after the release of “Calm Down,” one of the most charming and successful songs in recent memory. It’s also the first song from an African lead artist to be streamed one billion times on Spotify and to be in the Billboard Hot 100 list for a full year.
The historic performance, which took place on November 14 as a part of his global tour, solidifies the artist’s standing as an up-and-coming leader in the genre by putting him in the same league as Nigerian celebrities Burna Boy, Wizkid, Davido, and most recently Asake.
The singer, supported by the Rave Bandits band, gave energetic performances of songs from his expanding repertoire of well-known hits from several EPs and his ground-breaking debut album Rave & Roses on the evening dubbed Ravage Uprising. One of his hits, “Calm Down,” is a worldwide hit whose remix with American singer Selena Gomez has received over a billion Spotify plays.
Along with him on stage were Crayon, Magixx, and Grammy-nominated singer Ayra Starr, all signed to Mavin Records.
The UK is frequently mentioned as having played a key role in advancing Afrobeats to the global stage. The O2 Arena has also become as a major global hub for the popularity of Afrobeats in recent years. Rema thanked Burna Boy for giving him a sneak peek at the O2 Arena before his big night. Rema mentioned that Burna Boy’s invitation to play in the band’s headline show in 2021 inspired him to reach this milestone.
“Before I get on stage, I want to say a big thank you to @burnaboy for bringing me on stage two years ago,” Rema posted on social media platform X. “Today it’s my turn to conquer that same stage and I wish you were here to share this moment with me. Regardless, I’m grateful for the motivation.”
Rema, who is 23 years old and is sometimes called the “golden child” of Nigerian music, has travelled from Benin City to places like Curaçao, Tønsberg, Norway, and three Indian cities, where he became the first musician from Nigeria to finish a sold-out tour.
‘Calm Down’, a 2022 single, is one of the biggest African successes ever, with 1.6 billion Spotify plays (both the original and the remix featuring Selena Gomez).
Due to his quick rise to international fame, he is now considered an immediate peer of long-standing African artists like Wizkid, Burna Boy, and Davido rather than their heir.
Rema’s appearance at the 2023 Ballon d’Or event in Paris, France, where Inter Miami and Argentina striker Lionel Messi won the top football honour for a record-tying eighth time, comes just weeks after Rema’s O2 gig.
Rema won the inaugural 2023 MTV Europe Music Awards Best Afrobeats category earlier this month, marking the category’s debut. In addition, he is the most nominated artist from Africa for the next Billboard Music Awards, which will take place on November 19. He was nominated for seven categories, including Top Collaboration and Top Radio Song, primarily as a result of his song “Calm Down” with Selena Gomez.
Rema makes an explosive debut, walking up to the stage on a horse while perched on uneven rocks. The scene is lighted by red fog and features images of nuclear explosions. He sings the new song DND in a rather gruff, violent tone. He then sings, “I don do too much Ps and Qs right now,” expressing a refusal to appease others.
