Nigerian superstar singers, Burna Boy and Rema bagged individual awards at the inaugural Afrobeats categories at the 2023 Billboard Music Awards.
Burna Boy won the Top Afrobeats Artiste, while Rema’s ‘Calm Down’ remix featuring Selena Gomez won the Top Afrobeats Song.
The ‘African Giant’ crooner beat stiff competition from Wizkid, Rema, Tems, and Cameroonian star, Libianca, on his way to making history as the first-ever winner of the newly-created Top Afrobeats Artiste category.
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Similarly, Rema’s ‘Calm Down’ remix saw off competition from Ayra Starr’s ‘Rush’, Oxlade’s ‘Ku Lo Sa’, Libianca’s ‘People’, and Victony’s ‘Soweto’ with Rema and Don Toliver, take home the price for the maiden Top Afrobeats Song category.
However, the ‘Calm Down’ remix was lost in the Top Billboard Collaboration, Top Billboard Excl. U.S. Song, Top Billboard Global 200 Song, and Top Radio Song categories.
American singer Morgan Wallen led the winners’ chart with 11 awards, while Taylor Swift followed closely with 10 wins.
Recall that a fortnight ago, Rema had down his ‘Ravage Uprising’ 02 Arena show in London which earned him applause globally.
The sold-out show of 20,000 capacity saw the likes of Nigerian celebrities and fans traveling all the way to London for the show that can described as yet another celebration of Afrobeats, showcasing the genre’s energy, diversity, and global appeal.
Africa Today News, New York reports that Rema joined other award-winning Nigerian artistes like Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy, and Asake who have already sold the arena.
Performing at the iconic arena, Rema opened his act by performing his latest hit, “DND” as he made a dramatic entrance on a stationary horse, wearing a mask and black ensemble.
He then progressed into a melodic performance of “Iron Man” with a thrilling spectacle of Indian dance choreographers on either side of him.