Nigeria’s Afrobeats star, Rema, has hit another milestone after his hit single, “Calm Down” reached the one billion mark on global online streaming platform, Spotify.
The platform, which made the announcement on its website on Sunday morning in a statement issued by its Artiste and Label Partnerships Manager for West Africa, Victor Okpala, disclosed that the remarkable feat by the fast-rising sensation was a clear testament to his artistry and global appeal.
According to Okpala, data shared as part of Spotify’s afrobeats, “Journey to a Billion Streams” project shows that Rema ranks among the top 10 most streamed Afrobeats artistes 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 artiste and the entire afrobeats community,” he added.
Okpala stated that the meteoric rise of “Calm Down” to become a worldwide favourite is as a result of its “catchy mix of Afrobeats rhythms, blended with afro-fusion melodies, Rema’s unique and soulful singing.”
“The song’s production was made with a combination of modern and traditional elements, showing how African music is changing and growing.
“Rema’s unique sound has propelled him to the forefront of the global music stage, with the song having its highest streams from USA, India, Mexico, Brazil and the United Kingdom,” Okpala enthused.
“The song’s infectious chorus and relatable lyrics have made it a go-to track for both dancefloors and personal playlists, with data showing that Calm Down has been added to over a million Spotify playlists”, he added.
While reacting to the news, Rema took to his social media platforms to write:
“It is a blessing. It is not just a big win for me, my team and family, it is also a big one for the culture.
“I feel really happy and I’m really proud of the fans as well for going back to the song and putting people on the song. Shout out to the DJs and everyone who made this possible.”