Nigerian artist Rema notches his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (dated Sept. 17) as his single “Calm Down,” recently remixed with co-lead Selena Gomez, debuts at No. 91.
The song, released via Jonzing World/Mavin/SMG Music/Virgin/Interscope Records, enters with 5.5 million U.S. streams (up 12%), 763,000 in radio airplay audience (up 16%), and 1,000 downloads sold in the Sept. 2-8 tracking week (all versions combined), according to Luminate. It concurrently jumps 19-11 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart, with 39.3 million streams worldwide (up 19%), and 25-15 on the Billboard Global 200.
The 22-year-old Benin City, Nigeria, native (real name: Divine Ikubor) dropped the original version of the song in February as the second single from his debut solo LP, Rave & Roses. The remix with Gomez arrived Aug. 26, and that version’s official video premiered Sept. 7.
Rema first appeared on a Billboard chart in July 2020 with his track “Woman,” which reached No. 15 on World Digital Song Sales. He followed that up with a pair of releases that hit Hot Dance/Electronic Songs: “Simple Things,” with DJDS and Tory Lanez, peaked at No. 50, also in July 2020, and “Jealousy” (by FKA Twigs featuring Rema) reached No. 13 in January.
Rema has also maintained a consistent presence on Billboard‘s U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart. Since the list launched in April, he has logged 12 entries, tying him with Tems for the second-most among all acts, after Burna Boy (27). “Calm Down” earned him his first No. 1 on the ranking upon its coronation on the Sept. 10-dated survey.
Rave & Roses debuted its and peaked at Nos. 6 and 7 on Heatseekers Albums and World Albums, respectively, in April. The set features guest appearances by Chris Brown, 6LACK, AJ Tracey and Yseult. He has also worked with acts including Jason Derulo, Mahalia, Skepta and Justine Skye.
Rema is currently performing on his Rave & Roses World Tour.
