- Rema’s song “Calm Down” has made history by becoming the first African song to earn 1 billion on-demand streams in the United States.
- The song achieved this milestone according to Chart Data, an American music statistics company.
- The remix of “Calm Down” featuring Selena Gomez also reached 1 billion streams on Spotify in August 2023.
Rema’s “Calm Down” has made history by becoming the first African song to earn 1 billion streams in the United States.
This significant milestone marks a major achievement for the Nigerian artist and the Afrobeats genre as a whole. The song, which features Selena Gomez, has been a massive hit globally, transcending borders and cultures.
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Rema, one of Nigeria’s fastest-rising stars, has been making waves in the music industry with his unique blend of Afrobeats and international collaborations.
“Calm Down” was released in August 2022 and has been streamed repeatedly, with the highest number of streams coming from the U.S., India, Mexico, Brazil, and the U.K. The song has also been added to over a million Spotify playlists, further solidifying its global appeal.
The success of “Calm Down” can be attributed to the power of musical collaborations, particularly when they bring together artists from different genres and cultures.
The song’s catchy blend of Afrobeat rhythms and melodies, coupled with the vocals of Rema and Selena Gomez, has resulted in a bona fide billion-strong hit.
Rema’s achievement is not only a testament to his own talent but also a significant moment for the Afrobeats community. The genre has been gaining substantial influence on the global music stage, and Rema’s success is a major milestone in this journey.
Spotify’s Artist and Label Partnerships Manager for West Africa, Victor Okpala, has praised Rema’s achievement, stating that it highlights the genre’s impact and growth.
Rema’s journey to this milestone began with the release of his debut album, Rave & Roses, in March 2022. The album was critically well-received and helped launch Rema’s global tour, which stretched into Europe and North America. The single “Calm Down” began making inroads at DSPs and across the internet, eventually debuting at No. 91 on the Billboard Hot 100 after its release.
The remix of “Calm Down” featuring Selena Gomez was a major turning point for the song, propelling it to new heights. The remix debuted at No. 91 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has continued to grow ever since, topping the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart for 19 straight weeks and reaching No. 1 on the Global Excl.-U.S. chart.
Rema’s team, including Mavin Records COO Tega Oghenejobo, has played a crucial role in the song’s success.
Oghenejobo has highlighted the importance of critical artist development and long-term success in mind, stating that the label’s aggressive response to the early rollout efforts and innovative campaigns with distribution partners at Virgin Music were key to the song’s success.
The song’s success has also been attributed to Rema’s connection with the creator community on social media, engaging with user-generated content, and his Rave & Roses tour of Europe and North America, which was a great success. The song was originally from Rema’s Rave & Roses album, and the remix came together seamlessly, with both artists loving the song.
