Rema, the Afrobeats sensation, has opted to cancel all his scheduled performances for the remainder of 2023 to prioritize his health. Despite an incredibly successful year, which included a headline performance at the O2 Arena on November 14, the artist has decided to take a break to recover from exhaustion.
Expressing his sentiments on Instagram Stories on Wednesday, November 29, 2023, Rema shared the unfortunate news with his fans, stating, “Breaks my heart to say that I won’t be performing anywhere this December. (It’s) been years of touring (and) I’ve ignored my health. I need time to recuperate. 2024, we go again.”
The unexpected announcement is particularly disappointing for fans looking forward to his homecoming tour in Abuja, Lagos, and Benin in December, as well as his scheduled performance at the Hey Neighbor Music Festival set for December 8 to December 10 in South Africa.
Rema’s decision to prioritize his well-being comes on the heels of the remarkable success of his track “Calm Down,” which achieved chart history on both Apple Music and Spotify. The song secured the 12th spot on the global top 100 most streamed songs on Apple Music over the past year, marking the highest entry ever for an African song on the chart. Additionally, it claimed the eighth position on Spotify’s top 10 chart of most streamed tracks globally, making it the first by a Nigerian Afrobeats artist to achieve this feat.