Nigerian singer and songwriter, Divine Ikubor, famously known as Rema, has joined the list of Afrobeats artists to sell out Madison Square Garden (MSG) in New York City.
The Mavins Record artist performed at the Square some days back, and his performance has sparked public reactions. Many have hailed it as a massive achievement for him to have been able to pull off at his age.
In a clip posted by Rema on his social handle, fans were seen shouting with excitement as the Heis crooner was ushered out to perform.
Rema gained recognition with his 2019 song “Dumebi” and his debut EP, also titled “Rema,” topped Apple Music’s Nigerian charts.
He further rose to prominence after his hit single ‘Calm Down’. The remix then featured American singer Selena Gomez.
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Artists who have headlined and sold out shows at MSG
Rema joins Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Adele, Rihanna, Jay-Z, Justin Bieber, Asake, Mariah Carey, Wizkid, Burna Boy, Black Coffee & Davido on the list of artists who have headlined the world’s most famous arena.
Madison Square Garden is regarded as one of the toughest places to sell out a show. Nigerian Grammy Award winner Burna Boy was one of the first Afrobeats artists to have successfully hosted and sold out the 20,789-capacity arena.
Watch the video below:
Nigerians react to Rema’s concert turnout
Check out some of the reactions below:
@chineduokoli_:
“Nigeria is not your mate. We trend every day, any day you wake up, thereโs news about Nigeria.”
@Michelblaq:
“They went behind all these artists and gave Tyler the Grammy…smh.”
@OfficiaManager1:
“Thatโs huge for Afrobeat, Ghanaian artist canโt relate.”
@LakersLove18:
“Africa to the world”.
@MarvelChidi:
“Nigeria is the biggest export of music in Africa.”
@Ezera505:
“Bigger than the whole of Sadafricow”.
@OGGSly:
“Nothing like entertainment in Africa without Nigeriaโฆ. The rest are jokers trying to be relevant.”
@Top_dawg15:
“Tyla did not go there?
@afrikasbaby:
“Tyla is gonna become the first African female to host her show here.”
@Michelblaq:
“Rema did if …… Let’s give the boy a Grammy already.”
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Rema’s returns after a hiatus due to health issues
In late 2023, Rema made the decision to cancel all his December shows in order to prioritize his health.
He explained that after years of nonstop touring, he needed time to rest and recover.
His announcement was met with sympathy and support from both fans and fellow artists, including Davido, who publicly backed Remaโs decision to focus on his well-being.
Rema remains a dominant force in the music scene, consistently topping the charts.
His track “Baby (Is It A Crime)” soared to become the most-streamed Nigerian song of 2025 on Spotify, racking up over 14 million streams just weeks after its debut.
Furthermore, his 2024 album Heis garnered widespread praise from critics, earning a Grammy nod for Best Global Music Album and securing the title of Album of the Year at the 2025 Trace Awards.
Rema’s creative decisions have stirred controversy among some. At his sold-out show at Londonโs O2 Arena, he introduced elements such as riding a bat and donning a mask inspired by Edo culture.
These visuals led some fans to mistakenly interpret them as promoting occult themes.
However, Rema addressed the concerns, explaining that these were meant to honour his heritage, particularly the Benin Bronzes and Edo traditions.
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