Rema breaks Wizkid’s Billboard record

Rema’s song beat Wizkid and Tems’ ‘Essence’, which held the position for 17 weeks in 2020.

The remix of ‘Calm Down’, featuring American singer Selena Gomez, was released in August 2022 to massive global acclaim. It currently boasts over 487 million views on YouTube.

The original version of the song, featured on Rema’s debut album Rave & Roses, arrived in March 2022. Co-produced by Andre Vibez and Michael ‘London’ Hunter, the track currently holds the title of the most-viewed Afrobeats video with 477 million views.

Rema released a deluxe version of his album in April this year. Titled Rave & Roses Ultra, the 22-track update includes six additional tracks, notably the remix of ‘Calm Down’.

On 29 November 2022, ‘Calm Down’ also became the first ever song to top the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) music streaming chart, following the launch of the ranking list by IFPI.

Meanwhile, Rema is set to embark on a 17-day North American summer tour that will kick off at the Broccoli City Festival in Washington, DC, on 15 July and culminate in Los Angeles.

Later he will headline a show at the 20 000-capacity 02 Arena in London, UK, on 14 November, joining the ranks of Wizkid, Davido and Burna Boy as a handful of Nigerian artists to achieve that milestone.