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.”
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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” WINNER
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”
Video for good
Alicia Keys – “If I Ain’t Got You (Orchestral)” – Netflix
Bad Bunny – “El Apagón – Aquí Vive Gente” – Rimas Entertainment
Demi Lovato – “Swine” – Island Records
WINNER: Dove Cameron – “Breakfast” – Columbia Records
Imagine Dragons – “Crushed” – KIDinaKORNER / Interscope Records
Maluma – “La Reina” – Sony Music US Latin
Best direction
Doja Cat – “Attention” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records – Directed by Tanu Muiño
Drake – “Falling Back” – OVO/Republic Records – Director X (Julien Christian Lutz)
Kendrick Lamar – “Count Me Out” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records – Directed by Dave Free & Kendrick Lamar
Megan Thee Stallion – “Her” – 300 Entertainment – Directed by Colin Tilley
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records – Directed by Floria Sigismondi
SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records – Directed by Christian Breslauer
WINNER: Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records – Directed by Taylor Swift
Best cinematography
Adele – “I Drink Wine” – Columbia Records – Cinematography by Adam Newport-Berra
Ed Sheeran – “Eyes Closed” – Atlantic Records – Cinematography by Natasha Baier
Janelle Monae – “Lipstick Lover” – Atlantic Records – Cinematography by Allison Anderson
Kendrick Lamar – “Count Me Out” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records 0 Cinematography by Adam Newport-Berra
Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” – Columbia Records – Cinematography by Marcell Rev
Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records – Cinematography by Russ Fraser
WINNER: Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records – Cinematography by Rina Yang
Best visual effects
Fall Out Boy – “Love From the Other Side” – Fueled By Ramen – Visual Effects by Thomas Bailey and Josh Shaffner
Harry Styles – “Music for a Sushi Restaurant” – Columbia Records – Visual Effects by Chelsea Delfino and Black Kite Studios
Melanie Martinez – “VOID” – Atlantic Records – Visual Effects by Carbon
Nicki Minaj – “Super Freaky Girl” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Max Colt and Sergio Mashevskyi
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records – Visual Effects by Max Colt / FRENDER
WINNER: Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Parliament
Best choreography
WINNER: BLACKPINK – “Pink Venom” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records – Choreography by Kiel Tutin, Sienna Lalau, Lee Jung (YGX), Taryn Cheng (YGX)
Dua Lipa – “Dance the Night (From Barbie the Album)” – Atlantic Records – Choreography by Charm LaDonna
Jonas Brothers – “Waffle House” – Republic Records – Choreography by Jerry Reece
Megan Thee Stallion – “Her” – 300 Entertainment – Choreography by Sean Bankhead
Panic! At The Disco – “Middle of a Breakup” – Fueled By Ramen – Choreography by Monika Felice Smith
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records – Choreography by (LA)HORDE – Marine Brutti, Jonathan Debrouwer, Arthur Harel
Karol G – Interscope Records
WINNER: Taylor Swift – Republic Records
Group of the Year
WINNER: BLACKPINK – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records
FIFTY FIFTY – ATTRAKT / Warner Records
FLO – Uptown Records/Republic Records
Jonas Brothers – Republic Records
Måneskin – Arista Records
NewJeans – ADOR/Geffen Records
SEVENTEEN – HYBE / Geffen Records
TOMORROW x TOGETHER – BIGHIT MUSIC / Republic Records
Song of the Summer
Beyoncé – “Cuff It” – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records
Billie Eilish – “What Was I Made For? (From The Motion Picture ‘Barbie’)” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
Doja Cat – “Paint the Town Red” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
Doechii ft. Kodak Black – “What It Is (Block Boy)” – Top Dawg Entertainment / Capitol Records
Dua Lipa – “Dance the Night (From the Barbie Album)” – Atlantic Records / Warner Records
FIFTY FIFTY – “Cupid” – ATTRAKT / Warner Records
Gunna – “fukumean” – Young Stoner Life Records / 300 Entertainment
WINNER: Jung Kook ft. Latto – “Seven” – BIGHIT MUSIC / Geffen Records
Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice– “Barbie World (with Aqua) [From Barbie The Album]” – 10k Projects / Capitol Records / Dolo Entertainment / Atlantic Records
Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records
SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
Taylor Swift ft. Ice Spice – “Karma” – Republic Records
TOMORROW X TOGETHER and Jonas Brothers – “Do It Like That” – BIGHIT MUSIC / IMPERIAL / Republic Records
Luke Combs – “Fast Car” – Columbia Nashville
Troye Sivan – “Rush” – Capitol Records
Yng Lvcas & Peso Pluma – “La Bebe (Remix)” – Warner Music Latina
Album of the Year
Beyoncé – Renaissance – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records
Drake & 21 Savage – Her Loss – OVO / Republic Records
Metro Boomin – Heroes & Villains – Boominati / Republic Records
Miley Cyrus – Endless Summer Vacation – Columbia Records
SZA – SOS – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
WINNER: Taylor Swift – Midnights – Republic Records
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