The MTV Video Music Award in Newark, New Jersey, USA, witnessed a historic moment on Tuesday, as Rema, the Nigerian music sensation, bagged the first-ever Best Afrobeats award.
The award was for his collaboration with the global superstar Selena Gomez on the hit song ‘Calm Down.’
The Best Afrobeats category was introduced for the first time in the 2023 edition of the show, to celebrate the rising popularity of the genre across the world.
Rema faced stiff competition from other talented afrobeats artists, such as Burna Boy, Davido, Ayra Starr, Libianca, Wizkid, and Fireboy DML. Their songs were nominated alongside Rema’s ‘Calm Down,’ but none of them could match the success and impact of the remix.
‘Calm Down’ was a record-breaking song that achieved several milestones. It was the first track to stay on the Billboard US Afrobeats Songs chart for a whole year. It also topped The Official MENA Chart, becoming the first No.1 hit on that chart. Moreover, it reached one billion streams on Spotify, a feat that few songs can boast of.
Rema expressed his gratitude to his fans and Selena Gomez for making his dream come true. He dedicated the award to his country and his continent, saying that he was proud to represent them on the global stage.
