Nigerian music icons Burna Boy and Rema achieved a historic feat at the 2023 Billboard Music Awards by becoming the inaugural winners of the Afrobeats awards category.
Burna Boy secured victory in the fiercely contested Top Afrobeats Artist category, triumphing over strong contenders such as Wizkid, Tems, and Rema.
Simultaneously, Rema’s remix of “Calm Down” featuring Selena Gomez earned him the accolade for Top Afrobeats Song.
“This honor for “Calm Down” is a celebration of unity and the global domination of Afrobeats. I want to say a big shoutout to Selena Gomez, Mavin Records, Josie Ward as well as the amazing fans who supported us all the way to this point. I want to say a big thank you to Billboard — I am very grateful. All the way from Nigeria, Rema. One love,” Rema said.
Despite the recognition for “Calm Down,” it did not clinch victories in other nominated categories, including Top Radio Song and Top Billboard Global (Excl. US) Song.
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Country singer Morgan Wallen emerged as the night’s top winner, securing an impressive 11 wins, closely followed by Taylor Swift with 10 victories. Swift’s successes, combined with Drake’s five wins, positioned them in a tie for artists with the most Billboard Music Awards in history.
The wins for Burna Boy and Rema mark a momentous achievement for Afrobeats music on the global stage, reaffirming the genre’s escalating influence and popularity.
The triumph of these two Nigerian artists at the Billboard Music Awards further solidifies their prominent positions in the international music landscape.
