The song was already a hit in Nigeria before Selena Gomez heard it. Calm Down, from Rema’s 2022 debut album, had spread through TikTok and clubs across Africa. The remix with Gomez sent it further, climbing to number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming one of the most streamed songs of 2023. For the young singer from Benin City, it was proof that Afrobeats could compete with any pop music in the world.
Early life, Mavin and a new sound
Rema was born Divine Ikubor in 2000 in Benin City, Edo State. He lost his father and brother young, and has spoken about faith and family helping him through. He was signed by Don Jazzy’s Mavin Records in 2019 after a viral freestyle. His debut EP included Dumebi, which became an instant hit. Rema calls his style “Afrorave”, blending Afrobeats with trap, Indian and Arabic influences.
His debut album, Rave & Roses, came out in 2022. Calm Down was one of its tracks.
The remix and the records
The Selena Gomez remix was released in August 2022. It became a huge streaming success and spent many months on the Billboard charts. Calm Down became one of the most streamed songs by an African artist on Spotify and won awards, including at the MTV Video Music Awards. Rema performed at major global events, including the Ballon d’Or ceremony, and toured Europe and America.
His second album, HEIS, released in 2024, took a harder sound and showed he did not want to repeat Calm Down. He has spoken about the pressure of following a global hit and wanting to be judged on his whole body of work.
Obama, influence and other hits
His songs have appeared on former US President Barack Obama’s summer playlists, another sign of his reach. Rema is seen as a leading voice of the generation that followed Wizkid, Davido and Burna Boy. Before and after Calm Down, Rema released other popular songs, including Ozeba, which proved he could score hits without a famous collaborator.
He often mentions Benin City and Edo culture in interviews. Rema was still a teenager when he signed to Mavin. A few years later, he had a song in America’s top three and a generation of new fans who had never heard of Benin City.
