Rema makes history on US Billboard Hot 100, Canadian Billboard charts

Divine Ikubor, also known as Rema, is a well-known singer who made history by becoming the first Nigerian lead artist to reach the top 5 of the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Wizkid and Tems were listed as featured artists even though their songs with Drake’s “One Dance” and Future’s “Wait 4 U” respectively previously topped the charts.

Rema became the first Nigerian to record a top 5 song as lead act when his remix of the American superstar Selena Gomez’s “Calm Down” reached No. 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on May 8, 2023.

The song also tied Wizkid’s ‘Essence’ as the longest charting African song in the history of the chart with 35 weeks each.

Similarly, Rema has recorded another milestone as his hit song ‘Calm Down’ peaked No. 1 on the Canadian Billboard Hot 100, making him the first Nigerian to top the chart as lead artist.

ER reports that Rema recently entered into the Guinness World Record book.

He was recognised for securing the first number 1 hit, ‘Calm Down’ on the world’s first regional streaming chart and first-ever official chart in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).