How Rema rewrote the rave code

«All my Ravers in the house tonight… this is what we do, we rave. This is not a concert, this is a Rema party. You can't be at a Rema party and not dance!» Rema - hyped & assertive - reminded everyone at the packed-out, 20,000 capacity O2 arena in London this month. Fitting, but you could go as far as stamping the one off concert as the rave of all raves, since Rema - real name Divine Ikubor - has also been crowned the spearhead of the AfroRave sound too. He definitely knows how to throw a party. «We waited a whole year for this. I don’t know when I'll be able to tour here next so now we have the chance to build that connection», Rema shares with gratitude. The 23-year-old has a lot to celebrate, and who better with than his Rema day ones, and new fans who came out «on a work night and spent their hard-earned money» at the legendary dome-shaped venue. He showed up off the back of being the first to bag 1 billion streams on Spotify with the viral hit Calm Down, and becoming the first winner in the VMA afrobeats category with Selena Gomez. Not forgetting, his monumental performance at the Ballon D’or ceremony - in front of a tense Messi and Mbappe - that lightened up a serious crowd of players.

Rema’s eclectic debut album “Rave and Roses” has transcended the afrobeats genre and African continent, resonating with fans as far and wide as France (where he reached number 1), the Netherlands, and India (India holds the record for the most YouTube users, FYI). Five years in the game, we’ve all come to know his high-energy, fun-loving melodies that made waves and reached global shores - from the Billboard charts to the headliner of every noteworthy event on the festival circuit. Rema remarked that he knows he has a hit or «another banger» (his famous tagline) on his hands once «all types of people are singing the song word for word». Seas of foreign crowds even scream back his blends of pidgin-Nigerian wordplay, and the impossibly high-pitched, winding vocal riffs Rema manipulates his voice to make. Dumebi, Soundgasm, and Charm are prime examples. Iconic producer of our era and trusted collaborator of Rema’s, LONDON filled me in on their global hit streak. On their track record including the current & mesmerizing Don’t Leave and Red Potion, «Rema and I are good friends first, that helps the work chemistry. But, it’s surreal, you know, I never would have thought I would be a part of songs that would make history in the way Calm Down has. With Rema, I’ve learnt no idea is ever wasted. Shoutout to Andre too who I co-produced with. Rema as an artist is constantly evolving and pushing the limits in artistry. Like Red Potion happened when we were in Paris and just the whole vibe inspired me for that beat…Rema recorded on it that same day and the rest is history. Don’t Leave too, I really loved working on with Rema and my bro P.Priime.»

Back to that Rema rave in London city. With this being my first time finally accepting a personal invite from Rema’s team and seeing him perform (having missed his smaller show last year), the production quality took me by surprise. It’s hard to deny he’s up there with «the OG’s you’ve seen here before», in his words. Perhaps even a level above creatively. No expense was wasted on a band full of hair-raising synth players, saxophonists, and a choir, a huge ascending & descending LED-cube, a humble wooden home display as a backdrop (in homage to the album cover). A variety of female dancers & routines - enough for three separate concerts - sashayed on and off stage. The mechanical bat he rode on, with glaring red spotlight eyes though? Unheard of.Before the now-classics, Rema started off with Troublemaker from his latest EP “Ravage Uprising” which dropped in the run-up to the show. The crowd received it just as well. It’s a haunting, militant beat with an ominous vibe - in a good, artistic way. «Pest my opps, make them restless on schedule» he harmonizes in one verse. Rema uses the track to confidently speak up about his haters and the struggle before the success. Also, as a warning: he hasn’t lost his disruptive touch nor is he to be messed with.

There’s a new level to the 23-year-old that's been unlocked…clearly. It’s tougher, much more self-assured now that he’s paid his «dues». Pair that too with his opening fit: iced out chain, a long black trench, and all-black hoodie, pants & boots. All while seated horseback on a flaming, black stallion sculpture. Plus, a mask honoring the rich warrior culture of Benin City which London museums know all too well. «My Ancestors' bronzes sit in the museum of this very city, so I remade mine. Hence, Edo is redefined, the map reshaped, your minds awakened & the mask reborn.» He didn’t come to play games. In one of our conversations, Rema recognized that he «follow(s) the route of least expectation; everything in my life has been quite organic. And I feel like my sound has definitely evolved from time to time. It’s from within myself that everything outside me exists.» The available merch on sale too matched this newly evolved Rema. Young British-Nigerian designer Liz Sanya (who, like Rema, has blown up via her viral content and forward designs) broke down how she was entrusted with bringing the more somber concepts and darker aesthetic to life. «When I first jumped on the project, I was expecting loads of playful colors. I remember even showing up to the meeting in my brand SANYA’s pink tracksuit and a pink hat. But I was in for a shock [laughs].» Rema was all in during the briefing and multiple meetings too to bring to fruition the skeletal, x-ray graphic cropped vests, hoodies, and beanies. «He’s a very passionate musician and cares about the tiniest details. REMA explained this was a whole new era and laid all the references down in regards to his hometown. He had a vision and I had a pen.»

I also notice the seriousness of Rema prior to and during the show. Much like the confrontational & dance-enthusing DND on the new EP, he was zoned out and over all distractions. Everything felt forted, to protect his energy and keep his focus. Only a lucky few of us got the call up to attend, some even being denied backstage access by security. Rema and I had spoken at length last year, comfortably. This time around, he insisted that he say less and I take it all in - bts, documentary style. With a heightened sense of responsibility for his biggest production yet, Rema really wanted me to hear from his collaborators on this journey too. It made sense why. During & after the show I spoke with his trusted photographer, who was scouted all the way from Germany. Capturing the candid moments on film, Negative by Nature confirmed Rema’s sentiment saying, «This whole project has been all about teamwork. It’s very impressive to see how many people were involved. You can almost feel the pressure in the air to make this show perfect. I’m just happy to be a part of this big step in Rema’s rise to the top of the performing world and to be able to document it.»

With three fashion-forward changes (including on-trend oversized belt buckles), pyro flames, two showers of confetti, and a talking teddy bear intermission, Rema does tap back into his light-hearted & lothario side with the likes of “Bounce” and “Woman” as the concert goes on. It can’t be an easy feat keeping a crowd turnt up and dancing for 2 hours+ with your own voice and tunes back to back. Even to the point of risking a speculated £600,000 fee for going overtime on stage! «They tried to get me off the stage,» Rema mischievously exclaims. That one night in London has for sure re-written the live performance code and raised the bar even for seasoned artists. «The best show I've seen thus far,» young designer Liz said. An energizing concert of that magnitude should indeed be spoken about in rave terms, for years to come (maybe even a Guinness World Record stamp of approval). Plus, just like the true rave scene, Rema went from underground to global real quick. Only good things can be said of that rise.