The collaboration between Nigerian singer, Rema and American popstar Selena Gomez, titled ‘Calm Down,’ has clinched the Best Afrobeats award at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs).
This star-studded event, held at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on Tuesday, was a celebration of outstanding musical talents that have left an indelible mark on the global stage.
Prior to this momentous win, ‘Calm Down’ had already garnered attention by securing three nominations in the categories of Best Collaboration, Song of the Year, and Best Afrobeats.
However, it was in the Best Afrobeats category that this remarkable duo etched their names into history, becoming the inaugural winners in this newly established VMAs category.
Among the contenders in the Best Afrobeats category were Burna Boy’s ‘It’s Plenty,’ Davido feat. Musa Key’s ‘Unavailable,’ Ayra Starr’s ‘Rush,’ Libianca’s ‘People,’ Wizkid feat. Ayrra Starr’s ‘2 Sugar,’ and Fireboy DML’s ‘Bandana.’
The original release of ‘Calm Down’ on August 25, 2022, drew acclaim for its exceptional blend of Afrobeats and pop elements.
However, it was the remix of the song that achieved remarkable success, securing a unique milestone by maintaining a position on the Billboard US Afrobeats Songs chart for an entire year.
Furthermore, ‘Calm Down’ attained the prestigious status of being the First No.1 Hit on The Official MENA Chart.
Watch the video below:
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KanyiDaily recalls that Rema and Selena Gomez’s ‘Calm Down’ recently achieved the impressive feat of accumulating one billion streams on Spotify, a global online streaming platform.