Rema net worth 2024
With a combined total of over 4 billion streams on YouTube and Spotify alone as of December 2023, coupled with earnings from ticket sales, performance fees, and endorsement contracts that enshrines him in the mausoleum of Nigeria's finest artists, Rema's income has surged to nearly $100 million since 2022. As of 2024, his net worth stands at $4.7 million, solidifying his position not only as one of Nigeria's wealthiest musicians but also as the youngest.
During an interview with Z100 New York, Rema disclosed that he achieved his first one million naira at the age of 17, emphasising that he promptly gave the entire sum to his mother.
Mavin Records welcomed Rema as a new artist to its imprint in 2019, where he made a remarkable debut with four songs: "Corny," "Dumebi," "Why" (accompanied by a visual), and "Iron Man." In the same year, Rema achieved a historic feat by becoming the first Nigerian artist to debut five top songs on Apple Music.
At just 18 years old, Rema further distinguished himself by dominating the TRAP charts with songs from his eponymous Extended Play (EP) titled 'Rema.'
The tracks "Boulevard," "American Love," "Spiderman," "Trap out the Submarine," and "Dumebi" not only contributed to his record-breaking success but also secured prominent positions on various music charts.
In an enthusiastic announcement on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram (@heisrema), Rema celebrated his accomplishments:
"1 kid. Number 1 & 2 album on @applemusic. 5 songs on the top 100 chart. Number 2, 3, 7, 8, and 9, including 4 trap songs. This has never happened in the history of the Nigerian music industry. Check the statistics, no cap."
In December 2019, Rema graced the cover of FADER's NOW Issue, where he was hailed for "bridging cultural gaps in a way that everyone else is still catching up with," according to FADER's description.
His track 'Iron Man' not only garnered widespread acclaim but also secured a spot on former U.S. President Barack Obama's favorite music of 2019 list, alongside Burna Boy's 'Anybody.' Mr. Obama shared this revelation on X, emphasizing the annual list as a cherished tradition.
Remarkably, both Rema and Burna Boy stood as the sole representatives from Nigeria on the list, with their iconic tracks mentioned among 32 other songs.
In 2019, Rema showcased his versatility by gracing the cover of Tush Magazine's summer edition. The cover image featured him in a lemon overall jacket paired with white sneakers, while the insert editorial captured him in a black jacket adorned with a striking red Spiderman mask.
Marking a breakthrough year, Rema clinched the Headie Next Rated Award in 2019, a prestigious accolade recognizing the 'upcoming' Nigerian act displaying the most promise in the year under review.
Beyond the honor, winners are rewarded with a GAC SUV and the opportunity to join an influential 'alumni' of past superstar recipients.
During this prolific year, Rema released three critically acclaimed EPs: "Rema," "Rema Freestyle," and "Bad Commando." To cap off the year, two of his songs earned placements on the esteemed year-end lists of 2019, namely Rolling Stone's and Pitchfork's.
Rema's debut EP, particularly the track "Iron Man," achieved notable recognition in 2019, securing the 40th position on Rolling Stone's list of the best songs of the year. The publication complimented Rema's voice, likening it to "warm honey."
Pitchfork also acknowledged Rema's musical prowess, designating his song "Dumebi" as the 72nd best song of the year.
In a testament to his rising star status and burgeoning net worth, Rema joined the 2019 YouTube Foundry development program, becoming one of 14 musicians added that year. This addition expanded the total number of supported artists to 25, marking the largest class since the program's inception in 2016.
Further showcasing his global impact, Rema's song "Beamer" found a place on the official soundtrack of EA Sports FIFA 21 video game, offering entertainment to gamers in the VOLTA (street soccer) mode.
In a milestone moment, Rema's presence, through support from Spotify, reached the iconic Times Square billboard in New York City in 2020, as his international visibility reached new heights.
Following his nomination as Best Viewers Choice: International Act at the 2020 BET Awards, Rema achieved yet another significant milestone by being named the Apple Music Up Next artist.
This recognition was prominently featured on a billboard promoting his track "Ginger Me," further emphasising his growing influence and acclaim on the global stage.
Rema's debut EP, particularly the track "Iron Man," achieved notable recognition in 2019, securing the 40th position on Rolling Stone's list of the best songs of the year. The publication complimented Rema's voice, likening it to "warm honey."
Pitchfork also acknowledged Rema's musical prowess, designating his song "Dumebi" as the 72nd best song of the year.
In a testament to his rising star status and burgeoning net worth, Rema joined the 2019 YouTube Foundry development program, becoming one of 14 musicians added that year. This addition expanded the total number of supported artists to 25, marking the largest class since the program's inception in 2016.
Further showcasing his global impact, Rema's song "Beamer" found a place on the official soundtrack of EA Sports FIFA 21 video game, offering entertainment to gamers in the VOLTA (street soccer) mode.
In a milestone moment, Rema's presence, through support from Spotify, reached the iconic Times Square billboard in New York City in 2020, as his international visibility reached new heights.
Following his nomination as Best Viewers Choice: International Act at the 2020 BET Awards, Rema achieved yet another significant milestone by being named the Apple Music Up Next artist.
This recognition was prominently featured on a billboard promoting his track "Ginger Me," further emphasising his growing influence and acclaim on the global stage.
During Black Music Month in 2020, Apple Music honoured Rema with a billboard in Los Angeles, recognizing his contribution to the music industry.
Further solidifying his impact, Rema secured the position of the second most-searched person on Google in 2022, following only Joe Biden.
GQ recognized Rema as one of the "musicians to make 2020 better," alongside notable artists such as Doja Cat, Roddy Ricch, and Ari Lennox.
The international magazine highlighted Rema's endorsement by Barack Obama and emphasized his breakthrough with the viral dance sensation "Dumebi" and positioned him as a significant voice emerging from Africa's music scene. Noting the industry's high expectations, GQ underscored Rema's journey from being discovered after a freestyle to his resilience, self-worth, and hard work.
In April 2021, Rema showcased his luxurious lifestyle by flaunting an 11 million Naira neck chain from celebrity jeweler Johnny Dang.
Later in mid-2021, Rema collaborated once again with the jeweler for a set of complete diamond-studded grillz teeth worth N11 million.
Rema shared stunning photos on his Instagram, proudly displaying the expensive dental adornment.
On November 29, 2022, Rema achieved a significant milestone by topping the inaugural Official MENA Chart, a newly launched ranking by the trade body IFPI that spans 13 countries in the Middle East and North Africa.
His collaboration with Selena Gomez, titled "Calm Down," claimed the top spot on this chart, which calculates music listening across major streaming platforms and markets in the region, including Anghami, Apple, Deezer, Spotify, and YouTube. This remarkable accomplishment earned Rema a coveted entry into the Guinness Book of Records.
Notably, "Calm Down" continued its impressive run, being chosen by Dataleum, a renowned data intelligence and digital ecosystem firm, as the Most Viewed Nigerian Music Video on YouTube in 2022. Once again, Former U.S. President Barack Obama also included the song in his favorite music list for the year.
In September 2022, major streaming platform Audiomack recognized Rema's outstanding performance by presenting him with a plaque for surpassing 200 million streams on their platform.
Towards the end of 2022, Rema achieved a substantial milestone on Spotify, surpassing 20 million monthly listeners. This accomplishment positioned him alongside fellow Nigerian singer CKay as the second African artist to reach this impressive milestone.
In October 2022, 'Calm Down' continued its record-breaking trajectory by exceeding 200 million views on YouTube in just eight months, solidifying its status as the fastest Afrobeat single to reach this milestone.
By December 2022, Rema had surpassed a remarkable milestone, amassing over 1 billion streams on Spotify across all credits. Earlier in the same year, he joined Boomplay's Golden Club after crossing the 100 million streams mark on the platform.
The remix of "Calm Down" featuring Selena Gomez further solidified its success by becoming the most streamed Afrobeats song of 2022 by the year's end.
On Tuesday, November 29, 2022, Apple Music unveiled their year-end list, where "Calm Down" secured a notable position. The track appeared in the top 10 of the Top 100 most searched songs of 2022 on the Apple-owned Shazam application, claiming the 6th position.
In the initial week of September 2022, 'Calm Down' achieved the remarkable feat of becoming a diamond-certified record in France.
The announcement was made via a tweet from the National Syndicate of Phonographic Publishing (SNEP), the French trade body responsible for certifying music releases.
This accomplishment followed the song's earlier platinum certification in France, earned just two months prior, signifying over 30 million streams and equivalent to the sale of 200,000 units.
Adding to its international acclaim, 'Calm Down' secured a Gold certification in Italy, having sold 25,000 copies. Rema received a Gold plaque from the Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana (FIMI) after a performance in Italy, commemorating this significant achievement.
As 2022 drew to a close, Rema's presence extended to the official soundtrack of Marvel's 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,' marking yet another high-profile collaboration for the talented artist.
By 2023, Rema's fame had reached unprecedented heights, with even Bill Gates acknowledging his significance during a visit to Nigeria. Gates mentioned that his daughter considered him "lucky" to visit the home country of the renowned singer.
In mid-2023, Rema's 'Calm Down' remix featuring American superstar Selena Gomez achieved a remarkable milestone by peaking at No. 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
This accomplishment marked Rema as the first Nigerian artist to record a top 5 song as the lead act. The track went on to surpass Wizkid's 'Essence' by becoming the longest-charting African song in the history of the Billboard Hot 100, maintaining its position for an impressive 35 weeks.
Continuing his trailblazing success, Rema secured another milestone as 'Calm Down' claimed the No. 1 spot on the Canadian Billboard Hot 100, solidifying his status as the first Nigerian artist to top the chart as a lead artist.
In June 2023, Rema made history once again by becoming the first African artist to achieve a number one hit on the Billboard Overall US Radio Chart with the 'Calm Down' remix.
The song garnered an impressive 97.68 million audience impressions on American radios during the week under review, marking a historic feat.
Adding to the accolades, 'Calm Down' reached a staggering 800 million streams on June 13, 2023, making it the most streamed African song on Spotify and further solidifying Rema's global impact.
In a historic event held at the iconic O2 Arena Rema received an esteemed accolade from Spotify, commemorating his extraordinary achievement of 'Calm Down,' featuring Selena Gomez soaring to an impressive 1 billion streams on the renowned music streaming platform.
Representatives from Spotify presented Rema with a specially crafted plaque, marking him as the inaugural African artist to enter Spotify's Billion Club and serving as a symbol of gratitude for his remarkable contributions to the global music landscape. It has since crossed 2 billion streams.
In June 2023, Spotify, the global streaming giant, crowned Rema and Selena Gomez's 'Calm Down' as the No. 1 Afrobeats Song of All Time.
Rema's accomplishments reached new heights as he received acknowledgment at the Billboard, earning a prestigious award for his ubiquitous song 'Calm Down.'
This track, which has shattered multiple streaming and chart records, solidified Rema's position as a major force in the music industry.
In Spotify's Wrapped 2023, an annual data-led recap of users' music and podcast listening habits, Rema, along with the equally highly-successful Asake, was declared Afrobeats' global ambassador.
Cementing his status as an African powerhouse, Rema secured the MTV Europe Music Award for Best Afrobeats in 2023, and received the Billboard Music Award for Top Afrobeats Song in the same year.
Notably, Calm Down also made history by securing the top position on both the Pop Airplay and Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs charts.
Rema made history by becoming the inaugural winner of the newly introduced category for Best Afrobeats at the annual MTV Video Music Awards. The awards ceremony, held in Newmark, New Jersey in September 2023, recognized "Calm Down" to mark a significant moment as organizers acknowledged the rapidly evolving Afrobeats music style by unveiling the category in the 2023 edition of the awards.
"Calm Down" showcased its enduring popularity by spending over 50 weeks at the pinnacle of Billboard's U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart before reaching its peak at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June.
In August 2023, Rema achieved another milestone by breaking a four-decade-old record held by the legendary King Sunny Ade. His album, "Rave & Roses," became the longest-charting African album in the United States.
Adding to his list of achievements, Rema's "Calm Down" was recognized as the most Shazamed song of 2023.
On the concluding date of his U.S. tour at L.A.'s renowned Wiltern venue, Rema was presented with a plaque commemorating the triple-platinum certification of his Virgin Music-distributed single, "Calm Down" featuring Selena Gomez. This achievement coincided with the announcement of three VMA nominations for the track.
Notably, the song has amassed over 2 billion streams, claimed the top spot at four radio formats, and holds the title of Spotify's most-streamed Afrobeats song of all time.
During a 2023 interview at the highly anticipated European Gala for Marvel Studios' film "Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3," held in Paris, Vin Diesel shared insights into his musical preferences. When queried about his current favorite song, Diesel revealed that his daughter, who enjoys singing, often chooses 'Calm Down' as her go-to tune around the house.
In 2022, Rema reached another pinnacle in his career by acquiring a brand-new Mercedes Benz G-Wagon, with reports indicating that the musician invested N100 million in this exotic vehicle.
Income from shows and performances
Sola Adefuwa-Cole, a music executive at Cole Management Services, emphasized Rema's ascent to international stardom, when he noted that "Rema now charges 1 million dollars internationally, the same way as Burna Boy and Wizkid. His international exploits have seen him jump to the level of the two superstars."
Adding to his string of accomplishments, Rema achieved a monumental feat in November 2023 by selling out the O2 Arena in London for his concert on November 14. This remarkable achievement solidified his status as the youngest African artist to fill the iconic venue, considering that the O2 Arena is one of the largest indoor arenas globally.
Taking his global relevance to unprecedented levels, Rema made history by performing his hit song "Calm Down" at the 2023 Ballon d'Or ceremony. This groundbreaking moment marked him as the first Nigerian artist to grace the stage at this prestigious global award event.
Rema has consistently showcased his musical prowess on various stages, making significant appearances at renowned events such as:
- Zenith Bank's Aspire Music Festival (2019): Rema was part of an exclusive lineup, sharing the stage with esteemed artists like Phyno, Flavor, Niniola, Mayorkun, and Olamide.
- BBNaija Lockdown Finale and Season 6: He graced the stage at both the BBNaija Lockdown Finale and Season 6, captivating audiences with his electrifying performances.
- U.S. Tour (September 18-30, 2021): Rema embarked on a tour across prominent U.S. cities, including Miami, Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Los Angeles, California; and Brooklyn, New York. Additionally, he featured in One Africa Music Fest and Lost In The Rhythm Fest in October.
- Afronation Concert (Portugal): Rema took center stage at the Afronation concert in Portugal, delivering a memorable performance to an international audience.
- 2023 NBA All-Star Game Halftime Performance (February 19): Rema showcased his talent at the Halftime performance during the 2023 NBA All-Star Game, treating the audience to renditions of "Calm Down" and "Holiday."
- Afro Nation Miami (May 27-28, 2023): Rema continued his festival circuit with a vibrant performance at Afro Nation Miami held at Loan Depot Park.
- Lollapalooza 2023 (August 3-6, 2023): Confirmed for Lollapalooza 2023, which took place in Grant Park, Chicago, Rema was one of the performers alongside Billie Eilish and Lana Del Rey.
Income from endorsements
In 2021, Pepsi solidified their association with the Big Brother Nigeria reality TV show by enlisting Rema as a brand ambassador, emphasising his influence and appeal in the entertainment industry.
However, during the same year, Rema faced public scrutiny as Nigerians urged security operatives to apprehend certain celebrities, including him, for endorsing the Ponzi scheme company RackSterli.
The company, accused of defrauding numerous individuals, drew attention when Rema featured in a viral video promoting the platform, encouraging people to invest in it.
In a positive turn of events, OPPO Nigeria, a prominent smart mobile device brand, appointed Rema as its A Series Brand Ambassador in March 23, 2022, in a strong association with a leading technology brands.
By November 2023, Rema achieved a significant milestone by proudly announcing his official ambassadorship with the Jordan brand. This recognition marked him as the first African talent, whether in entertainment or sports, to collaborate with the renowned Jumpman.