As his popular song “Calm Down” became the first-ever No. 1 hit on The Official MENA Chart, Rema, the Nigerian music sensation, has continued to make waves and break new ground.
Since his debut, the gifted vocalist has been progressively building a fan following and garnering recognition throughout the world.
Currently, “Calm Down” has received close to 388 million Spotify streams, while the popular remix with Selena Gomez has amassed an astounding 717,512,920 streams on the same service.
The song has received numerous nominations and constantly debuted at the top of the charts around the world, making it to the Top 3 in nations like Belgium, France, Portugal, and the Netherlands, among others.
Recall that the remix with Selena Gomez was nominated for the Global Awards’ Best Social Trending Song in 2023.
The IFPI (Federation of the Phonographic Industry) stated on November 29, 2022, that “Calm Down” has achieved the first-ever spot on the MENA music streaming chart.
The recently released Official MENA Chart is a regional platform for music lovers to celebrate the top streaming songs every week, covering the top 20 songs in the region.
This graph compiles information from 13 MENA nations, totaling more than 300 million people.
Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and the United Arab Emirates are among the markets that are watched.
In order to be as broad as possible, the ranking also includes information from significant streaming services including YouTube, Deezer, Spotify, and Apple Music.
The story of CALM DOWN — the Biggest African Song of All time. pic.twitter.com/iYuHAlcG3s
— MAVIN is 11 (@MAVINRECORDS) May 11, 2023
Additionally, it provides tools that enable users to keep track of the names they want and the most recent fashions by following their favorite record companies and musicians.
Rema, who is only 23 years old but has already achieved great success, was thrilled to hear the news.
He extended his appreciation to his regional supporters, thanking them for helping to make “Calm Down” the first song to ever reach No. 1 on The Official MENA Chart. Rema also expressed his gratitude to the staff of his label for their steadfast assistance.
Rema grew up listening to Afrobeats, but he never imagined going into the industry.
3 years later I did it! Thank you India for your overwhelming love & my heart to those who BELIEVED. ✊🏾🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/zfAtfDUFDh
— REMA (@heisrema) May 15, 2023
He had a great passion for rapping, though. Rema’s music blends trap beats with traditional beats influenced by Arabian and Indian sounds, mixing rap and trap vibes. It incorporates a variety of waves and styles.
He refers to this particular fusion as “Afrorave,” which is a subset of the well-known Afrobeats music.
Rema’s innovative, internationally-focused approach to Afrobeats has found success in the global market, as evidenced by the success of his remix of Selena Gomez, which peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart. Additionally, “Calm Down” scored a remarkable No. 5 spot on the Billboard Hot 100.
Rema maintained his confidence and true to himself in the face of initial reluctance from some of his team members regarding his unique approach. This proved to be the right move.