A victory as delicious as Fanta! On Sunday (November 19), Selena Gomez and Rema won best Afrobeats song for their collaboration “Calm Down” at the 2023 Billboard Music Awards.
The singer-actress praised the Nigerian rapper in her victory speech. “Thank you guys so, so much for this award,” Gomez said. “This is entirely Rema’s fault. He picked me to be a part of such an amazing music. So I’d like to thank him and everyone else for streaming and listening, and I wish we could be there. However, thank you!”
Rema also spoke briefly about earning the prize, which was a newly created category. “This honour for ‘Calm Down’ is a celebration of unity and the global domination of Afrobeats,” he went on to say. “I’d like to thank Selena Gomez, Mavin Records, Josie Ward, and all of the amazing fans who have supported us all the way to this point.” I’d like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Billboard. Rema, all the way from Nigeria. “Just one love.”
The single is also up for top radio song, top Billboard Global 200 song, top Billboard Global (Exclusive of the United States) song, and top collaboration.
The song peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 2023. The song was on the charts for a total of 57 weeks. It’s Rema’s first Hot 100 entry, and the Only Murders in the Building star’s ninth top ten single overall.
