Tag: rema

Nigerian musician Rema has talked about the difficulties he encountered after being well-known at a young age and how he was exposed to negative situations early in his career.

The musician, who rose to prominence after signing with Mavin Records in 2019, claimed that the demands of his sudden notoriety were difficult for him to handle at the time.

In his new song Moviestar, which he co-wrote with French pianist Sofiane Pamart, Rema revealed what he now considers to be exploitative events.

“I always get drugs from girls.”
My joy is contained in their tiny purse. I always feel plundered by friends. The 25-year-old said that because of how early he entered the public eye, many fans might not really get his personal challenges.

He also mentioned the demands of his record deal, suggesting that his well-being was frequently eclipsed by the need to perform and produce.

Rema’s remarks draw attention to the unspoken constraints that young artists encounter in the business, particularly when success comes rapidly and there aren’t many support networks.

American entertainment magazine Billboard has faced backlash on social media after referring to singer Rema as a “one-hit wonder.”

Billboard had on February 16, 2026, reshared an article from its June 2025 chart beat.

Billboard in the post on X, named Rema number six on the list of its “25 Biggest One Hit Wonders of the 21st Century” for his global smash ‘Calm Down’, which featured Selena Gomez, an American pop star.

The magazine which explained that Rema has not been able to make it to the Hot 100 again after featuring Selena Gomez “although he has landed six top 10s on U.S. Afrobeats Songs, through the June 7, 2025, chart”.

The resurfaced post sparked criticism from netizens with many tagging the publication disrespectful to Rema’s broader achievements.

@flourish_empire said, “What kind of downplay is that? All Rema songs are hit back to back.”

@MikeAgrow wrote: “Rema has been dropping consistent bangers, selling out arenas, and putting Afrobeats on the map worldwide. One song on their chart doesn’t erase all that. Call it what it is.”

@gtm_gtel added, “They try to kill his confidence but so bad. Billboard can’t tell Africans how to do their thing. Their rate is of no use.”

Nigerian Afrobeats singer, Divine Ikubor, popularly known as Rema, has been named in the 2025 TIME100 Next list.

The list spotlights the world’s most influential rising stars.