Singer Rema’s ‘Calm Down’ makes history on US Billboard hot 100 charts
Nigerian Afrobeats singer Rema has made history on the US Billboard Hot 100 charts with his single ‘Calm Down’ remix peaking number eight on the chart.
The song which features US RnB singer Selena Gomez has surpassed ‘Essence’ by Wizkid which peaked at number nine and was formerly the highest-charting Nigerian song on the US chart.
Rema notched his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with the single entering at No. 74. the original version of the song in February 2022 as the second single from his debut solo LP, Rave & Roses. The remix with Gomez arrived August 26, and that version’s official video premiered September 7.
The song originated when Rema was vibing and chilling with some folks from his Mavin label. They went into a studio where they hooked up with Andre Vibez, one of the in-house music producers signed under Don Jazzy’s label imprint.
After the remix with Gomez, ‘Calm Down’ gained worldwide attention, played on world stages and used on all social media globally.
In December a video surfaced on the internet where fans were heard at a stadium in Qatar during the 2022 World Cup singing along as the song played out through the stadium sound facilities. Delighted, Rema reposted the video with a caption “woke up grateful. Afrobeats.”
Early in March 2023 Calm Down became the first Afrobeat Song to Hit 400m Views on YouTube.