Rema’s ‘Calm down’ makes it to Spotify’s 2023 songs of summer

By Orukpe Rebecca.

Nigerian singer Rema’s ‘Calm Down’ featuring US act Selena Gomez has been named in Spotify’s 2023 Songs of Summer.

Calm Down,’ co-produced by Andre Vibez and London, originally debuted in February 2022 as a part of Rema’s debut album Rave & Roses. In January this year, the song’s original music video set a YouTube record as the most-viewed Afrobeats video on the platform. The video gained 518 million streams.

The version featuring Gomez arrived in August last year, and is now the second-highest charting song by an African artist on Billboard Hot 100 history, currently holding the fifth position.

Since its release in February 2022, ‘Calm Down’ has gone on to achieve massive global success that has made it into one of Afrobeats’ biggest releases.

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The chart, released on Wednesday, August 23, 2023 along with lists for top podcasts and audiobooks, places Rema at the 20th spot in the company of other prominent popstars like Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, SZA, and more. Spotify released its Song of Summer list for the US and global listeners and Rema’s ‘Calm Down’ made the global list.

Ever since the remix of ‘Calm Down’ was released featuring Selena Gomez, Rema has gained worldwide recognition as the single achieved significant milestones such as obtaining a Diamond certification in France, Platinum certifications in the UK and the US, and various certifications in other countries including Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Austria, Canada, Poland, Greece, Netherlands, New Zealand, Denmark, and Portugal.

Rema’s ‘Calm Down’ featuring Selena Gomez was ranked at NO. 20 on the global song of the summer list was topped by ‘Ella Baila Sola’ by Latino artists Eslabon Armado and Peso.

Moreover, the song has made history by becoming the first African single to top the Billboard Pop Radio chart. Additionally, it holds the record for the longest-running No.1 song on the Billboard US Afrobeat songs chart.

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Rema’s ‘Calm Down’ is the only song from an African artist on the list while Rema is also the only African artist to make the list. Listeners won’t be surprised to find ‘Calm Down’ on the list following its impressive global success that has seen it topped charts in other places like India and North Africa. The single also holds the record for the highest charting song for a Nigerian on Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Official Chart.

Earlier this month, Spotify named Rema as Afrobeats’ most exported artist, adding that revenues generated by Nigerian artists on its platform reached N11bn ($14m) in 2022.

In the middle of his world tour, Rema is set to perform at the 20 000-capacity O2 Arena in London, UK, on 14 November. Rema & Selena Gomez’s ‘Calm Down’ has been shortlisted for the Best Afrobeats Song category, Best Collaboration and Song of the Year.