Rema and Selena Gomez Win First Afrobeats Award At The 2023 MTV VMAs

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Nigeria’s globe-trotting musical talent, Jonzing World star Rema, and American pop star Selena Gomez have won a 2023 MTV Video Music Awards.

The duo took home the award in the inaugural Best Afrobeats category for their smash hit “Calm Down.”

The song pipped Ayra Starr’s “Rush”, Burna Boy’s “It’s Plenty”, Davido feat. Musa Key’s “Unavailable”, Libianca’s “People”, Wizkid feat. Ayra Starr’s “2 Sugar,” and Fireboy DML’s “Bandana” for Best Afrobeats.

“Calm Down” was also nominated in the “song of the year” category and the “best collaboration” category.

This win follows Rema’s historic feat as the first African artist to reach a billion streams on Spotify with his song “Calm Down,” featuring Selena Gomez.

In his speech, Rema thanked his fans, his team, Selena Gomez, and Nigerian music icons 2Baba, Don Jazzy, D’Banj, D’Prince, Runtown, Timaya, Wizkid, Burna Boy, and Davido for their pioneering work in Afrobeats and also thanked the new generation for their efforts in continuing the trend to take Afrobeats to greater heights.

First released on February 11, 2022, “Calm Down” is the second single from Rema’s debut studio album, “Rave & Roses.”

The remix with Selena Gomez was released on August 25, 2022, and since then, it has been a global hit. Rema posted a celebratory message on his social media after he earned his first career Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit with the remix of the global record “Calm Down.”

See his speech below and the highlights of his appearance below:

See the full list of winners below:

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Doja Cat – “Attention”

Miley Cyrus – “Flowers”

Nicki Minaj – “Super Freaky Girl”

Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire”

Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy”

SZA – “Kill Bill”

Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” WINNER

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Beyoncé

Doja Cat

Karol G

Nicki Minaj

Shakira

Taylor Swift

SONG OF THE YEAR

Miley Cyrus – “Flowers”

Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire”

Rema & Selena Gomez – “Calm Down”

Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy”

Steve Lacy – “Bad Habit”

SZA – “Kill Bill”

Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” WINNER

BEST NEW ARTIST

GloRilla

Ice Spice *WINNER

Kaliii

Peso Pluma

PinkPantheress

Reneé Rapp

PUSH PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

August 2022: Saucy Santana – “Booty”

September 2022: Stephen Sanchez – “Until I Found You”

October 2022: JVKE – “golden hour”

November 2022: Flo Milli – “Conceited”

December 2022: Reneé Rapp – “Colorado”

January 2023: Sam Ryder – “All The Way Over”

February 2023: Armani White – “GOATED”

March 2023: Fletcher – “Becky’s So Hot”

April 2023: Tomorrow X Together – “Sugar Rush Ride” WINNER

May 2023: Ice Spice – “Princess Diana”

June 2023: FLO – “Losing You”

July 2023: Lauren Spencer Smith – “That Part”

BEST COLLABORATION

David Guetta & Bebe Rexha – “I’m Good (Blue)”

Post Malone, Doja Cat – “I Like You (A Happier Song)”

Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami – “Gotta Move On”

Karol G, Shakira – “TQG” WINNER

Metro Boomin with The Weeknd, 21 Savage, and Diddy – “Creepin’ (Remix)”

Rema & Selena Gomez – “Calm Down”

BEST POP

Demi Lovato – “Swine”

Dua Lipa – “Dance The Night (From Barbie The Album)”

Ed Sheeran – “Eyes Closed”

Miley Cyrus – “Flowers”

Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire”

P!NK – “Trustfall”

Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” WINNER

BEST HIP-HOP

Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami – “Gotta Move On”

DJ Khaled ft. Drake & Lil Baby – “Staying Alive”

GloRilla & Cardi B – “Tomorrow 2”

Lil Uzi Vert – “Just Wanna Rock”

Lil Wayne ft. Swizz Beatz & DMX – “Kant Nobody”

Metro Boomin ft Future – “Superhero (Heroes and Villains)”

Nicki Minaj – “Super Freaky Girl” WINNER

BEST R&B

Alicia Keys ft. Lucky Daye – “Stay”

Chlöe ft. Chris Brown – “How Does It Feel”

Metro Boomin with The Weeknd, 21 Savage, and Diddy – “Creepin’ (Remix)”

SZA – “Shirt” WINNER

Toosii – “Favorite Song”

Yung Bleu & Nicki Minaj

BEST ROCK

Foo Fighters – “The Teacher”

Linkin Park – “Lost (Original Version)”

Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Tippa My Tongue”

Måneskin – “The Loneliest” WINNER

Metallica – “Lux Æterna”

Muse – “You Make Me Feel Like It’s Halloween”

BEST LATIN

Anitta – “Funk Rave” WINNER

Bad Bunny – “Where she goes”

Eslabon Armado, Peso Pluma – “Ella Baila Sola”

Bad Bunny – “un x100to”

Karol G, Shakira – “TQG”

Rosalía – “Despechá”

Shakira – “Acróstico”

BEST AFROBEATS

Ayra Starr – “Rush”

Burna Boy – “It’s Plenty”

Davido ft. Musa Keys – “Unavailable”

Fireboy DML & Asake – “Bandana”

Libianca – “People”

Rema & Selena Gomez – “Calm Down” WINNER

Wizkid ft. Ayra Starr– “2 Sugar”

BEST K-POP

aespa – “Girls”

BLACKPINK – “Pink Venom”

FIFTY FIFTY – “Cupid”

SEVENTEEN – “Super”

Stray Kids – “S-Class” WINNER

TOMORROW X TOGETHER – “Sugar Rush Ride”

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