•Selena Gomez (left) and Rema at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards in New Jersey
Rema’s “Calm Down” remix featuring Selena Gomez becomes the first Nigerian song to surpass 1 billion views on YouTube.
The “Calm Down” remix, released in 2023, quickly gained international acclaim, topping charts and amassing millions of streams across various platforms, reports Channels TV.
The collaboration between Rema, a rising star in Afrobeats, and Selena Gomez, a globally recognised pop artiste, brought together diverse fan bases, significantly boosting the song’s reach and appeal.
African artistes have been making waves on YouTube, with several songs achieving the coveted 1 billion views milestone. Notable examples include:
“Jerusalema” by Master KG featuring Nomcebo Zikode: This South African hit became a global sensation known for its catchy tune and viral dance challenge.
“Particula” by Major Lazer featuring Nasty C, Ice Prince, Patoranking, and Jidenna: This collaboration brought together artists from across the continent, showcasing the diversity of African music.
Internationally, songs like “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi featuring Daddy Yankee and “Gangnam Style” by Psy have set records on YouTube. “Despacito” currently holds over 8 billion views, while “Gangnam Style” has surpassed 4.7 billion views. Similarly, “Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran has amassed 5.85 billion views, “See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth has 5.69 billion views, and “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars has 4.75 billion views.
In addition to Rema’s groundbreaking achievement, several Nigerian songs are close to reaching the 1 billion view mark on YouTube.
These include:
Rush by Ayaa Starr – 398M views
“Ye” by Burna Boy – 275M views
Love Nwantiti by CKay Remix ft. Joeboy & Kuami Eugene [Ah Ah Ah] – 518M
“On the Low” by Burna Boy – 405M views
“Fall” by Davido – 294M views
“If” by Davido- 189M
“Essence” by Wizkid featuring Tems – 202M views
Pana by Tekno – 218M views
Reason With Me by Rudeboy – 230M views
Love Nwantiti by CKay [Acosutic Version] – 240M views
Joro by Wizkid – 291M views
Calm Down by Rema (Official Music Video) – 619M views
