Nigeria’s music sensation, Rema, has continued to make waves and hit newer grounds as his hit track “Calm Down” has achieved a remarkable milestone by becoming the first-ever No.1 hit on The Official MENA Chart.
The talented singer has been steadily gaining popularity since his debut, amassing a growing fanbase and gaining international recognition.
As of now, “Calm Down” has garnered nearly 388 million streams on Spotify, while the viral remix featuring Selena Gomez has reached an astonishing 717,512,920 streams on the same platform.
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The track has garnered multiple nominations and consistently topped international charts, reaching the Top 3 in countries such as Belgium, France, Portugal, and the Netherlands, among others.
Recall that in 2023, the remix featuring Selena Gomez even received a nomination for Best Social Trending Song at the Global Awards.
On November 29, 2022, the IFPI (Federation of the Phonographic Industry) announced that “Calm Down” secured the first-ever position on the MENA music streaming chart.
The recently launched Official MENA Chart serves as a regional platform where music enthusiasts can celebrate the top streaming tracks on a weekly basis, featuring the regional top 20 tracks.
This chart collects data from 13 MENA countries, covering a combined population of over 300 million people.
The monitored markets include Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Furthermore, the chart incorporates data from major streaming platforms such as YouTube, Deezer, Spotify, and Apple Music, aiming to be as inclusive as possible.
It also offers features that allow users to follow their favourite artists and record labels, keeping them updated on their preferred names and the latest trends.
At only 23 years old, Rema has experienced tremendous success and was elated upon hearing the news.
He expressed his gratitude to his fans across the region, acknowledging their support in making “Calm Down” the first-ever No. 1 hit on The Official MENA Chart. Rema also extended his thanks to his label’s team for their unwavering support.
While Rema grew up listening to Afrobeats, he never anticipated pursuing a career in the genre.
However, he had an immense passion for rapping. Incorporating various waves and styles, Rema’s music fuses trap backgrounds with traditional beats influenced by Arabian and Indian sounds, infusing rap and trap vibes.
This unique fusion has given birth to what he terms “Afrorave,” a subgenre of the popular Afrobeats style.
Rema’s fresh, globalized approach to Afrobeats has resonated with the international market, evident in his remix with Selena Gomez reaching No.1 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart. “Calm Down” also achieved an impressive No.5 position on the Billboard Hot 100.
Despite initial reservations from some of his team members about his unconventional style, Rema remained confident and true to himself, which proved to be the right decision
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