Rema

Rema
Name	Rema
Birth name	Divine Ikubor
Birth date	2000-05-01
Birth place	Benin City
Origin	Nigeria
Genres	Afrobeats, Afropop, Trap music, Dancehall
Occupations	Singer, songwriter, record producer
Years active	2019–present
Labels	Jonzing World, Mavin Records, Republic Records

Rema is a Nigerian singer and songwriter who emerged as a prominent figure in Afrobeats and contemporary Afropop since 2019. He gained international recognition through charting singles and collaborations with artists and institutions across Nigeria, United States, United Kingdom, and India. His work intersects with artists from Drake to Selena Gomez and has been featured on platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music.

Early life and background

Born Divine Ikubor in Benin City, he grew up in a family with ties to local Benin Kingdom cultural expressions and urban music scenes. He attended schools in Edo State where he participated in talent shows and local performances alongside contemporaries from Lagos and regional hubs. His early exposure included listening to recordings by Fela Kuti, Bob Marley, Burna Boy, and Wizkid while following broadcasts from Cool FM, Beat FM, and regional studios. Prior to professional signing, he released demos and worked informally with producers connected to Jonzing World and grassroots collectives in Benin City and Lagos State.

Career

He was discovered after posting tracks that circulated on social media platforms and messaging apps, attracting attention from managers tied to Jonzing World, an imprint associated with Don Jazzy and Mavin Records. His breakthrough single in 2019 led to a record deal and placements on curated playlists managed by Spotify editorial teams and influential DJs from Nigeria and Ghana. Subsequent releases achieved chart positions in markets monitored by Billboard and Official Charts Company while collaborating with artists on labels such as Republic Records and independent outfits in Nashville and Los Angeles.

Rema’s touring activity expanded to festivals and venues connected to Afropunk, Wireless Festival, and regional showcases across Accra, Abuja, Johannesburg, London, and New York City. He has worked with producers affiliated with Mavin Records and with international producers from Atlanta and Toronto, leading to cross-genre remixes and licensing for visual media distributed by companies like Netflix and YouTube Originals.

Musical style and influences

His musical style blends Afrobeats, Afropop, Trap music, and elements of Dancehall and Reggae, reflecting influences from artists such as Fela Kuti, Burna Boy, Wizkid, Drake, and Chris Brown. Production techniques in his catalog often mirror trends from studios in Atlanta and London, incorporating 808 bass patterns, syncopated percussion, and melodic vocal runs associated with RnB and contemporary pop. Lyrically he references everyday life and youth culture in Benin City and Lagos, drawing narrative modes similar to those used by Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole while employing hooks that align with formats used by Ariana Grande and The Weeknd.

He cites collaborative influences from producers at Mavin Records and sessions with engineers who have worked on albums for Cardi B and Travis Scott, producing a hybrid sound that appeals to audiences in Africa, Europe, and North America. Music videos accompanying his singles have been directed by filmmakers who previously worked on projects with Beyoncé, Khalid, and Rema’s contemporaries in the Nigerian scene.

Discography

Studio albums, EPs, and notable singles include a mix of independent releases and label-backed projects. Key entries across streaming platforms and physical releases are catalogued by label registries at Sony Music Publishing affiliates and rights organizations in Nigeria and United States. His discography features collaborations with artists from Nigeria, United Kingdom, United States, and India, and has spawned remixes by DJs affiliated with BBC Radio 1 and club circuits in Ibiza. Notable singles and projects reached playlists curated by Apple Music and were reported in charts tracked by Billboard and Nielsen SoundScan.

Awards and nominations

His work has been recognized at major award ceremonies and ceremonies in Nigeria, Ghana, and international institutions, receiving nominations and awards from bodies such as The Headies, BET Awards, MOBO Awards, and categories listed by Billboard year-end roundups. He has been shortlisted for newcomer and breakthrough artist categories alongside peers from Afrobeats and global pop scenes. Industry acknowledgements include producer credits and songwriting recognitions registered with performance rights organizations like PRS for Music and STEMRA.

Personal life

He maintains a public persona that engages with fans across platforms including Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok, while keeping details of private family life relatively low-profile compared with other public figures such as Davido or Wizkid. He has participated in philanthropic and cultural events in Benin City and supported initiatives connected to youth music education alongside NGOs and foundations active in Edo State and broader Nigeria. He has had public interactions with artists and executives during industry events hosted in Lagos, London, and Los Angeles.

Category:Nigerian singers Category:Afrobeats musicians