Rema Dominates 2025: From Global Afrobeats Icon To Entertainer Of The Year

Divine Ikubor, popularly known as Rema, has once again cemented his position as one of the most influential figures in pop culture, claiming the title of Entertainer of the Year for 2025. The 25-year-old Nigerian singer and songwriter continues to define the global rise of Afrobeats with his exceptional musical achievements and international recognition. Born on May 1, 2000, into the family of the late Edo State chieftain and former Ethiope Publishing Company General Manager, Justice Ikubor, Rema has consistently impressed audiences with his artistic prowess.

Rema’s sophomore album, HEIS, has attracted widespread acclaim, earning praise from global icons like Angelique Kidjo, who described him as a symbol of Afrobeats’ international success. His 2023 hit, “Calm Down,” from the 2022 album Raves & Roses, continues to dominate streams, having entered the billion-stream club twice.

The year began with Rema receiving two major accolades at the 2025 Trace Awards, winning Album of the Year for HEIS and Best Male Artist. In April, he further strengthened his legacy at the 17th Headies Awards, securing Afrobeats Album of the Year for HEIS and Producer of the Year for his track “Ozeba.”

Rema’s 2025 single, “Baby,” became the most exported Nigerian song of the year, reflecting both his global appeal and the expanding influence of Nigerian music worldwide. By September, Rema was recognized as one of the world’s most influential rising stars, appearing on the 2025 TIME100 Next list alongside global talents including football prodigy Lamine Yamal.

Streaming figures underscore his global dominance, with an average of 3.7 million streams per day on Spotify and over 800 million streams in 2025 alone. Cumulative career streams now surpass 12 billion globally, including 5.5 billion on Spotify, with over 4.2 billion streams as lead artist across 71 tracks and 1.2 billion as a featured artist.

Rema also made headlines for his extravagant lifestyle in 2025, acquiring luxury cars valued at over N1 billion, including a Mercedes-Benz G63 and a Lamborghini Urus. Rising to fame with his 2019 hit single “Dumebi” under D’Prince’s Jonzing World label, Rema is now signed to Jonzing World, a subsidiary of Mavin Records, founded by Don Jazzy. His debut EP, Rema, topped Apple Music’s Nigerian charts, while the “Dumebi” music video has surpassed 81 million views on YouTube.