Culture

Rema achieves another milestone as hit single, ‘Calm Down’ reaches 1 billion streams on Spotify

Published

8 months ago

September 10, 2023

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.”

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Culture

South African actor dies tragically in car accident

Published

20 hours ago

May 6, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

South African actor, Mpho Sebeng, has reportedly died in a ghastly car accident in in Potchefstroom, North West province, his family said in a statement on Monday.

The actor’s family which confirmed that the 30-year-old died in the tragic accident which happened on Sunday, has appealed for privacy as they grapple with this devastating news.

“The family of the South African entertainer, Mpho Sebeng, are saddened to confirm, to the public and media, that their son has indeed passed away,” the family statement said.

“Mpho met his untimely death in the early hours of Sunday, 5 May 2024, due to a tragic car accident in Potchefstroom.

“Whilst the family appreciates the immense outpouring of love and condolences, the family requests some space to process the news,” the statement added.

According to local media, Sebeng, a celebrated figure in South Africa’s entertainment landscape, had a career spanning nearly two decades, marked by remarkable performances and accolades.

His journey in acting commenced at the tender age of 12, catapulting him into the spotlight of television.

“Among his notable works are appearances in TV dramas like “Justice For All” and “Zero Tolerance,” both of which received widespread acclaim and numerous awards.

“During his high school years, he portrayed a role in the 2011 film “Winnie,” a biographical depiction of the late Winnie Mandela’s life.

“His talent was further recognized when he was nominated for Best Male Actor in a telenovela at the 2018 South African Film and Television Awards.

“Sebeng’s repertoire extended to international platforms, including roles in Netflix productions such as “Savage Beauty” and “Miseducation.”

“Sebeng was born in Soweto on 1 December 1992 and matriculated in 2011 at West Ridge High School. His achievements at school included full colours for drama.

“He made his television debut in the SABC drama series, Justice for All as well as Zero Tolerance.

“His first major TV role was in the Mzansi Magic drama, Ring of Lies, which earned him a Best Actor Safta nomination in 2018. Since then, Sebeng has showcased his talent in a variety of shows, such as “Savage Beauty”, “The Brave Ones” and “Miseducation” on Netflix, “The Queen”, “The Throne”, “Zbondiwe”, “Scandal” and “Hush Money.”

Culture

Burna Boy emerges Africa’s top earning artiste in the US from tours, concerts

Published

2 days ago

May 5, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Nigerian Afrobeats sensation,
Burna Boy, has emerged as the first African artiste to stage the highest-grossing arena concerts and tours in the United States of America.

International rating platform, Touring Data, which provides a PDF and spreadsheet with ticket count information for tours in the US and Canada, in a post on X, said the “Common Man” crooner beat his record set in 2022 after he generated $1.593 million, (over N2 billion), at his TD Garden in Boston on March 2.

‘‘Burna Boy earns the highest-grossing arena concert by an African artist in US history with $1.593 million at TD Garden in Boston on March 2, 2024, surpassing his numbers at Madison Square Garden in 2022,” Touring Data stated.

The platform also noted that one of Burna Boy’s “I Told Them” tour sold out by large margins in Scotiabank Arena, Montreal and Toronto in Canada, Boston in the US, and Cologne in Germany.

Touring Data also stated that over 124,706 tickets valued at $93.50 on average were sold at the “I Told Them” tour.

“Revenue-wise, $11,659,531, or about N16 billion, was realised via the ticket sales,” the data platform said.

“Shortly after dropping the highly anticipated video for “City Boys”, Burna Boy announced his I Told Them… Tour.

“Produced by Live Nation, the 16-city tour kicked off on 3 November at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.

“It marked Burna Boy’s first-ever performance in a Los Angeles stadium. He toured other American cities, including Houston, Chicago, Toronto, and more, before wrapping up in Atlanta at State Farm Arena on March 9th.

“Nine months earlier, the “African Giant” had a sold-out show at Citi Field, New York, making him the first Nigerian artiste to headline a stadium in America.

“BMO Stadium’s website said the singer commanded a crowd of more than 40,000 fans, including celebrities like Busta Rhymes, SZA, NBA star Mo Bamba, NFL Star Larry Ogunjobi, and British rapper Dave, who joined him on stage for a performance of his (Burna Boy’s) hit song “Location.”

“This history-making performance followed his landmark London Stadium performance, where Burna Boy made history as the first African to headline a stadium in the U.K.

“With his Madison Square Garden performance, the singer again made history as the first Nigerian musician to sell out The World’s Most Famous Arena.

“The global giant once again made history with his recently released album “I TOLD THEM…” after it debuted at #1 on the official U.K. Albums chart, making him the first international African artiste to earn the title,” it stated.