September 17, (THEWILL) – A few days after his single with Selena Gomez, ‘Calm Down’ reached 1 billion streams on Spotify, a global online streaming platform, Divine Ikubor, aka Rema, once again made history by winning the Best Afrobeat Award at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards, the newest category introduced by the organisers of the show.
Rema clinched the award with the same song, ‘Calm Down.’ It was nominated alongside Burna Boy’s ‘It’s Plenty,’ Davido feat Musa Key’s ‘Unavailable,’ Ayra Starr’s ‘Rush,’ Libianca’s ‘People,’ Wizkid feat Ayrra Starr’s ‘2 Sugar,’ and Fireboy DML’s ‘Bandana.’
Speaking on Rema’s Spotify’s feat, the streaming company’s Artiste and Label Partnerships Manager for West Africa, Victor Okpala, said the feat achieved by the fast-rising star, is a clear testament to his artistry and global appeal.
According to data shared as part of Spotify’s Afrobeats ‘Journey to a Billion Streams’ project, Rema ranked among the top 10 most streamed Afrobeats artists on the platform.
“Rema has achieved a remarkable milestone with his hit single, ‘Calm Down,’ featuring Selena Gomez, reaching one billion streams on Spotify. This is the first African artist-led track to join the Billions Club on Spotify,” Okpala said.
“The achievement not only highlights Rema’s growing influence in the music industry but also stresses the power of cross-cultural musical fusion in today’s interconnected world. This milestone is absolutely remarkable for Rema, marking a pivotal moment for this talented artist and the entire afrobeat community,” he added.
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