Calm Down (Rema song)


"Calm Down" is a song by Nigerian singer Rema, from his debut studio album Rave & Roses. It was released on 11 February 2022 through Jonzing World, Mavin, and Interscope Records as the album's second single. The song charted across Europe, reaching number one on the Belgian Ultratop 50, Dutch Top 40 and Dutch Single Top 100. In the United Kingdom, "Calm Down" peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart and spent 27 non-consecutive weeks in the top ten of the chart.
A remix of "Calm Down" with American singer Selena Gomez was released on 25 August 2022. The new version reached number one on both the Billboard US Afrobeats Songs and the Billboard Global Excl. US charts, and peaked at number three on the Global 200 chart. It peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100, marking Rema's first top-ten hit and Gomez's ninth. It also led the U.S. Afrobeats Songs for a record-setting 58 weeks. In the US, it topped the all-genre Radio Songs chart for ten weeks, becoming both artists' first number-one song on the chart. It reached number one on the Canadian Hot 100 chart dated 13 May 2023. According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, the remix was the second best-selling global single of 2023, earning 1.89 billion subscription streams equivalents globally. The song is widely regarded as the biggest and most successful Afrobeats song of all time. A music video for the remix was released on Gomez's YouTube channel on 7 September 2022 and hit the 1 billion views mark on 8 November 2024, becoming Rema's first and Gomez's third song to hit the milestone.

Release

On 17 August 2022, Selena Gomez posted a photo of herself and Rema on her social media, captioning it "come soon". The remix was released a week later.

Writing and composition

Miami-based Amanda Ibanez, who also goes by her stage name Kiddo AI, was asked by Interscope senior director of A&R Vanessa Angiuli to write a spec verse
for Selena Gomez on the song. Ibanez quickly wrote and recorded two different possible options for a Selena verse. Within a few hours of sending them to Angiuli, Ibanez received a response back from Angiuli who told her that Gomez loved the verse. Within the next few weeks, Ibanez and Gomez began to trade ideas back and forth and refine the verse. Ibanez eventually flew to Los Angeles to complete the song after a request to have more of Gomez on the song.
The song was described as a "vibey" "feelgood smash hit". Reviewing the remix, Vanguard writer Adegboyega Remmy Adeleye thought Gomez' "melodic tune complements Rema's vibe perfectly, maintaining the same energy as the original release".
The song is recorded in the key of B major with a tempo of 107 beats per minute in common time. It follows a chord progression of E–B, and the vocals span from D4 to F5.

Critical reception

Naming the song one of the best of 2022, Rolling Stone said "Rema likes to call his spin on the Afrobeats sound "Afro-rave," and it is sublimely lovely all the same. He is the kind of singer who savors simple pop pleasures; with a track that's appropriately warm, bright, and captivating. The big-eyed wonder in his voice makes it sound like he's the first guy ever to behold the majesty of girls or colors." Billboard said the song is organic, and its slow burn is further underscoring Afrobeats' increasing mainstream popularity, while naming it the 10th best song of 2023.

Accolades

Awards and nominations

OrganizationYearCategoryResult
African Entertainment Awards USA2022Best Music VideoNomitated
African Entertainment Awards USA2023Song of the YearWon
African Muzik Magazine Awards2023Best CollaborationNomitated
Anghami Year in Music2022Top International SongWon
Anghami Year in Music2023Top International SongWon
ASCAP London Awards2024Song of the YearWon
ASCAP London Awards2024Top Streaming SongWon
ASCAP Pop Music Awards2024Song of the YearWon
ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards2024Winning R&B/Hip-Hop & Rap SongsWon
Billboard Music Awards2023Top Radio SongNomitated
Billboard Music Awards2023Top CollaborationNomitated
Billboard Music Awards2023Top Billboard Global 200 SongNomitated
Billboard Music Awards2023Top Billboard Global SongNomitated
Billboard Music Awards2023Top Afrobeats SongWon
Global Awards2023Best Social Trended SongNomitated
Hit FM Music Awards 2024Collaboration of the YearWon
iHeartRadio Music Awards2023Best Music VideoNomitated
iHeartRadio Music Awards2024Song of the YearNomitated
iHeartRadio Music Awards2024Pop Song of the YearNomitated
iHeartRadio Music Awards2024Best CollaborationWon
Kora Awards2024Best Collaboration of the Year
MTV Europe Music Awards2023Best SongNomitated
MTV Europe Music Awards2023Best CollaborationNomitated
MTV Video Music Awards2023Song of the YearNomitated
MTV Video Music Awards2023Best CollaborationNomitated
MTV Video Music Awards2023Best AfrobeatsWon
MTV Video Play Awards2023Winning VideoWon
NRJ Music Award2022International Collaboration of the YearNomitated
Spotify Plaques2023One Billion Streams AwardWon
Trace Awards & Festival2023Song of the YearWon

Records

CategoryYear
Longest-running song atop the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart2023
First song to top both the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart and Billboard Pop Airplay chart in history2023
Highest-charting hit from an Afrobeats lead artist in Billboard Hot 100 history2023
First African artist-led track hit one billion streams on Spotify2023
First song in history to spend one year on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart2023
First song in history to spend one year at number one on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart2023
First Afrobeats song to reach No. 1 on Radio Songs2023
Longest-charting African song on the Billboard Hot 1002023
First African song in history to spend an entire year on the Billboard Hot 1002023
Most-streamed Afrobeats song on Spotify history2023
Most-watched music video by a Nigerian artist on YouTube2023
Most Weeks Ever on Pop Airplay Chart2024
Most Weeks Logged in the Pop Airplay Top-10 in History2024

Charts

Original version

Year-end charts

Chart Position
Austria 10
Belgium 70
Belgium 12
Brazil Airplay 73
Bulgaria Airplay 4
Denmark 43
Germany 19
Iceland 52
Italy 72
New Zealand 9
Sweden 50
Switzerland 2
UK Singles 6

Chart Position
France 172

Selena Gomez remix

Year-end charts

Chart Position
Australia 12
Brazil Streaming 112
Canada 2
Global 200 2
Global Singles 2
India International Streaming 1
Moldova Airplay 11
Netherlands 9
Poland 32
Poland 31
Portugal Airplay 1
Romania Airplay 80
Spain Airplay 8
US Billboard Hot 1006
US Adult Contemporary 20
US Adult Top 40 4
US Afrobeats Songs 1
US Dance/Mix Show Airplay 44
US Mainstream Top 40 1
US Rhythmic 1
US R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay 21

Chart Position
Moldova Airplay 150
Romania Airplay 168
US Adult Contemporary 18