Rema’s “Calm Down” remix ft Selena Gomez becomes first Nigerian song to surpass 1 billion views on YouTube.
Released in 2023, the remix quickly gained international recognition, topping charts and racking up streams globally.
The collaboration between Rema, a prominent figure in Afrobeats, and Selena Gomez, an internationally acclaimed pop star, bridged fan bases, widening the song’s reach.
African music has increasingly made its mark on YouTube, with other notable hits nearing or reaching 1 billion views, including South Africa’s “Jerusalema” by Master KG and the pan-African track “Particula” by Major Lazer.
Globally, hits like “Despacito” (8 billion views), “Gangnam Style” (4.7 billion views), and “Shape of You” (5.85 billion views) remain some of the platform’s most-viewed music videos.
Several Nigerian songs are also climbing towards the 1 billion views milestone.