Afrobeats sensation Rema had the incredible opportunity to perform his global hit ‘Calm Down’ at the prestigious Ballon d’Or ceremony held in Theatre du Chalet, Paris, France. His electrifying performance garnered widespread attention, but a specific interaction during the event has sparked discussions online.
While Rema undoubtedly shone as a star attraction for the event, some eyebrows were raised when he appeared to overlook Lionel Messi, a seven-time Ballon d’Or winner and a strong contender for the eighth title that night. Prior to his performance, Rema was spotted mingling with football legend Didier Drogba, further solidifying his status as a standout presence.
Rema’s rise to international fame, particularly with the global hit ‘Calm Down’ and its Selena Gomez remix, has been remarkable. The track enjoyed a historic one-year reign atop the Billboard US Afrobeats Songs chart, reaching as high as number three on the competitive Billboard Hot 100 and securing the number one spot on the Canadian Top Songs chart, as reported by The Guardian.
France Football recognized Rema’s star power and invited him to perform the chart-topping song at the Ballon d’Or event. During his performance, Rema engaged with the enthusiastic crowd, even descending from the stage to interact with the seated players.
He extended his hand to shake hands with the nominees seated in the front row, warmly greeting everyone. However, it didn’t go unnoticed that Rema seemingly omitted Lionel Messi from his interactions, opting to return to the stage after reaching the end of the row.
See tweets below: