I’ve been winning awards since I was 19 — Rema

Nigerian Afrobeats star Divine Ikubor, popularly known as Rema, has looked back on his rapid rise in the music industry, noting that he has been receiving major awards since he was just 19 years old.

The 25-year-old artiste made the remark on Sunday while accepting three honours at the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA). Speaking on stage, Rema expressed gratitude for the continued recognition of his work, describing the moment as a reminder of how far he has come in seven years of professional music.

Rema, who joined Mavin Records at 19, rose to prominence in 2019 with breakout singles such as Iron Man and Dumebi, quickly cementing his place among Africa’s leading new-generation artistes.

His career reached a new global height in 2022 with Calm Down, later remixed with American pop star Selena Gomez.

The song became an international hit, topping charts in several countries and expanding his global audience.

At this year’s AFRIMA ceremony, Rema clinched Best Male Artiste in Western Africa, Artiste of the Year, and Best African Artiste, Duo or Group in African RnB/Soul for Calm Down.

He triumphed over other top Nigerian stars, including Burna Boy, Davido, Wizkid, and Asake, in two of the major categories.

Following the awards ceremony, the Benin-born singer returned to his roots, visiting his childhood neighbourhood and church in Benin City, Edo State, alongside his mother, marking the moment with a personal homecoming.