Rema’s “Calm Down” has propelled the 24-year-old Nigerian sensation to new heights of fame, becoming the most-streamed Afrobeats song in the US, per bbc.com. Chart Data recently announced on X that the hit has surpassed one billion on-demand streams, making it the first Afrobeats track to achieve this milestone. The accolade adds to the song’s acclaim, having been dubbed the “most successful African song of all time” last year.
Billboard analysts attribute the track’s enduring appeal to its “melancholy slow jam with a subtle hypnotic draw,” which hooks listeners and brings them back repeatedly. Released in February 2022 as part of Rema’s debut album, Rave and Roses, “Calm Down” saw a surge in popularity with a remix featuring US singer Selena Gomez. This collaboration skyrocketed on Spotify, achieving over a billion plays.
The song also made history on the Billboard Hot 100, spending a year on the chart and peaking at number three, the highest position for a lead Afrobeats artist. Its remix video, with nearly 894 million views on YouTube, is the most-watched by a Nigerian artiste.
Rema’s unique style, which he terms “Afrorave,” has positioned him alongside Nigerian Afrobeats giants like Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Davido.
- Featured image: Rema performs at the 2024 Dreamville Music Festival at Dorothea Dix Park on April 07, 2024/Getty Images
