Rema’s hit song “Calm Down” has made another historic achievement, becoming the most-streamed Afrobeats song in the United States. The 24-year-old Nigerian star’s track has earned over one billion on-demand streams in the US, a milestone confirmed by the music monitoring platform Chart Data on X.
Last year, Chart Data had already hailed “Calm Down” as the “most successful African song of all time.” Billboard magazine analysts attribute the song’s success to its unique blend of “melancholy slow jam with a subtle hypnotic draw,” making it the kind of tune that lingers in listeners’ minds and prompts repeated plays.
Released in February 2022 as a single from Rave and Roses, Rema’s debut album, “Calm Down” received a significant boost a few months later with a remix featuring US singer Selena Gomez. This remix also achieved remarkable success, reaching the billion-plays mark on Spotify.
The song made history as the first African track to spend a year on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number three. This feat made “Calm Down” the highest-charting song where an Afrobeats musician was the lead artist. The remix has also amassed nearly 894 million views on YouTube, making it the most-watched music video by a Nigerian artist.
Rema has risen to prominence alongside other renowned Nigerian Afrobeats artists such as Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Davido. He describes his distinctive style of Afrobeats as “Afrorave,” reflecting his unique musical identity.
With “Calm Down” continuing to break records and captivate audiences worldwide, Rema’s influence in the global music scene is undeniable, solidifying his place as a leading figure in the Afrobeats genre.
Melissa Enoch
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