Rema plays to sell-out O2 Arena crowd in London

15 Nov 2023 - 10:24

Published under the Creative Commons Licence

Rema has become the latest Afrobeats star to sell out the 20 000-capacity O2 Arena in London, UK.

Rema.

The feat, which happened on 14 November as part of his world tour, places the artist in the ranks of Burna Boy, Wizkid, Davido and recently Asake among Nigerian stars to have sold out the venue, deepening his reputation as an emerging leader within the genre.

On the night dubbed Ravage Uprising, the singer, backed by the Rave Bandits band, offered spirited renditions from his growing catalogue of well-known hits across multiple EPs and his groundbreaking debut album Rave & Roses, including his global anthem ‘Calm Down’ whose remix featuring US act Selena Gomez currently sits on more than a billion streams on Spotify.

He was also joined on stage by fellow Mavin Records signees including Grammy-nominated songstress Ayra Starr, Magixx and Crayon.

The UK is often cited as a pivotal constituency in propelling the Afrobeats movement. In recent years, the O2 Arena has also become a global touchpoint for Afrobeats success. Ahead of his big night, Rema acknowledged Burna Boy for providing him with a glimpse of the O2 Arena. Burna Boy had invited him to perform at Burna Boy’s headline concert in 2021, a gesture Rema noted fuelled him to his current 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’s O2 gig arrives weeks after he performed at the 2023 Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris, France, which saw Inter Miami and Argentina forward Lionel Messi win the topmost football prize for a record eighth time.

Earlier this month, Rema became the first winner of the newly-introduced Best Afrobeats category at this year’s MTV Europe Music Awards. He is also Africa’s most nominated artist at this year’s Billboard Music Awards slated to air on 19 November, where he received seven nominations mainly thanks to ‘Calm Down’ with Selena Gomez, including Top Collaboration and Top Radio Song.