Divine Ikubor, also known as Rema, the Afrobeats singer, presented an electrifying performance at the 2023 Ballon d’Or on Monday night.
The renowned Ballon d’Or ceremony took place in Paris, France’s capital.
The award ceremony recognized players’ outstanding performances at both the club and national levels during the 2022-23 season.
Lionel Messi was declared champion for an unprecedented seventh time, with Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe finishing second and third, respectively.
Rema grabbed the stage during the event to perform a captivating rendition of his chart-topping single, “Calm Down.”
The celebrities in attendance were seen dancing to the hit tune as well.
At times, the Afrobeats sensation left the stage to shake hands with football legends like Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Jr., and Haaland, among others, who sat in the front row.
Rema is the first Afrobeats musician to play at the renowned Ballon d’Or awards ceremony.
The milestone illustrates the great success the Nigerian has achieved in 2023, as well as the expanding global influence of Afrobeats.
Davido made an electrifying performance at the World Cup in Qatar in 2022. Burna Boy also wowed the crowd at the 2022-23 Champions League final.
Since its release, the remix of ‘Calm Down,’ which included US singer Selena Gomez, has racked up large numbers on streaming sites, broken records, and earned awards.
