Nigerian Afrobeats star Rema has made history by becoming the first African artist to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone’s special report, The Future of Music 2025. This coveted edition highlights the up-and-coming artists who are poised to shape the future of the music industry, with Rema earning his place as a standout talent.
Known offstage as Divine Ikubor, Rema’s rise to global stardom has been nothing short of extraordinary. His inclusion in this prestigious feature underscores his remarkable transformation from a breakout teen artist to a worldwide music sensation. Alongside Rema on the cover are other rising stars like Benson Boone, Ivan Cornejo, and Megan Moroney, all of whom are making waves in the music world.
Rema’s breakthrough moment came in 2022 with his smash hit Calm Down, which became a game-changer in his career. The song’s remix featuring Selena Gomez catapulted him to international prominence, achieving remarkable success on global charts. Calm Down broke records as one of the longest-charting Afrobeats tracks on the Billboard Hot 100 and held the number one spot on the U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart for an impressive 58 weeks. Additionally, Rema joined an exclusive group of artists who have surpassed one billion streams on Spotify, solidifying his status as a global music icon.
To celebrate his inclusion in Rolling Stone’s Future of Music feature, Rema also delivered an unforgettable performance at the magazine’s Future of Music concert during the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas. His captivating performance further highlighted his international appeal and growing influence in the global music scene.
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