"Calm Down" is a song by Nigerian singer Rema, from his debut studio album Rave & Roses (2022). It was released on 11 February 2022 through Jonzing World, Mavin, and Interscope Records as the album's second single. The song charted across Europe, reaching number one on the Belgian Ultratop 50, Dutch Top 40 and Dutch Single Top 100. In the United Kingdom, "Calm Down" peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart and spent 27 non-consecutive weeks in the top ten of the chart.
A remix of "Calm Down" with American singer Selena Gomez was released on 25 August 2022. The new version reached number one on both the Billboard US Afrobeats Songs and the Billboard Global Excl. US charts, and peaked at number three on the Global 200 chart. It peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100, marking Rema's first top-ten hit and Gomez's ninth. It also led the U.S. Afrobeats Songs for a record-setting 58 weeks. In the US, it topped the all-genre Radio Songs chart for ten weeks, becoming both artists' first number-one song on the chart. It reached number one on the Canadian Hot 100 chart dated 13 May 2023. According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), the remix was the second best-selling global single of 2023, earning 1.89 billion subscription streams equivalents globally. The song is widely regarded as the biggest and most successful Afrobeats song of all time. A music video for the remix was released on Gomez's YouTube channel on 7 September 2022 and hit the 1 billion views mark on 8 November 2024, becoming Rema's first and Gomez's third song to hit the milestone.
Release On 17 August 2022, Selena Gomez posted a photo of herself and Rema on her social media, captioning it "come soon". The remix was released a week later.
Writing and composition
Miami-based Amanda Ibanez, who also goes by her stage name Kiddo AI, was asked by Interscope senior director of A&R Vanessa Angiuli to write a spec verse for Selena Gomez on the song. Ibanez quickly wrote and recorded two different possible options for a Selena verse. Within a few hours of sending them to Angiuli, Ibanez received a response back from Angiuli who told her that Gomez loved the verse. Within the next few weeks, Ibanez and Gomez began to trade ideas back and forth and refine the verse. Ibanez eventually flew to Los Angeles to complete the song after a request to have more of Gomez on the song.
The song was described as a "vibey" "feelgood smash hit". Reviewing the remix, Vanguard writer Adegboyega Remmy Adeleye thought Gomez' "melodic tune complements Rema's vibe perfectly, maintaining the same energy as the original release".
The song is recorded in the key of B major with a tempo of 107 beats per minute in common time. It follows a chord progression of E–B, and the vocals span from D4 to F5.
Critical reception Naming the song one of the best of 2022, Rolling Stone said "Rema likes to call his spin on the Afrobeats sound "Afro-rave," and it is sublimely lovely all the same. He is the kind of singer who savors simple pop pleasures; with a track that's appropriately warm, bright, and captivating. The big-eyed wonder in his voice makes it sound like he's the first guy ever to behold the majesty of girls or colors." Billboard said the song is organic, and its slow burn is further underscoring Afrobeats' increasing mainstream popularity, while naming it the 10th best song of 2023.
Accolades Awards and nominations +Awards and nominations for "Calm Down"OrganizationYearCategoryResult All Africa Music Awards 2023 Best Male Artiste in Western Africa(Rema for "Calm Down") Song of the Year Brit Awards 2024 International Song of the Year The Headies 2023 Song of the Year Best Music Video LOS40 Music Awards 2023 Best International Song NRJ Music Awards 2022 International Song of the Year Soundcity MVP Awards 2023 Listener's Choice Viewers' Choice Best Pop Video of the Year Swiss Music Awards 2024 Best Hit International
+Awards and nominations for "Calm Down" (remix with Selena Gomez)OrganizationYearCategoryResult African Entertainment Awards USA 2022 Best Music Video 2023 Song of the Year African Muzik Magazine Awards 2023 Best Collaboration Anghami Year in Music 2022 Top International Song 2023 ASCAP London Awards 2024 Song of the Year Top Streaming Song ASCAP Pop Music Awards 2024 Song of the Year ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards 2024 Winning R&B/Hip-Hop & Rap Songs Billboard Music Awards 2023 Top Radio Song Top Collaboration Top Billboard Global 200 Song Top Billboard Global (Excl. U.S.) Song Top Afrobeats Song Global Awards 2023 Best Social Trended Song Hit FM Music Awards (China) 2024 Collaboration of the Year iHeartRadio Music Awards 2023 Best Music Video 2024 Song of the Year Pop Song of the Year Best Collaboration Kora Awards 2024 Best Collaboration of the Year MTV Europe Music Awards 2023 Best Song Best Collaboration MTV Video Music Awards 2023 Song of the Year Best Collaboration Best Afrobeats MTV Video Play Awards 2023 Winning Video NRJ Music Award 2022 International Collaboration of the Year Spotify Plaques 2023 One Billion Streams Award Trace Awards & Festival 2023 Song of the Year
Records +Records achieved by "Calm Down" Category Year Record Guinness World Records 2022 First No.1 hit on The Official MENA Chart 2023 Most weeks at No.1 on The Official MENA Chart
+Records achieved by "Calm Down" (remix with Selena Gomez)CategoryYear Longest-running song atop the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart 2023 First song to top both the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart and Billboard Pop Airplay chart in history Highest-charting hit from an Afrobeats lead artist in Billboard Hot 100 history First African artist-led track hit one billion streams on Spotify First song in history to spend one year on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart First song in history to spend one year at number one on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart First Afrobeats song to reach No. 1 on Radio Songs Longest-charting African song on the Billboard Hot 100 First African song in history to spend an entire year on the Billboard Hot 100 Most-streamed Afrobeats song on Spotify history Most-watched music video by a Nigerian artist on YouTube Most Weeks Ever on Pop Airplay Chart 2024 Most Weeks Logged in the Pop Airplay Top-10 in History
Lists +Name of publisher, name of listicle, year(s) listed, and placement result Publisher Listicle Year(s) Result Billboard Billboards 100 Best Songs 2023 10th
Charts Original version
Weekly charts + Chart performance for "Calm Down" Chart (2022–2023) Peakposition Brazil Airplay (Crowley Charts) In Semana Referência select 17/04/2023 - 21/04/2023. To access the full Top 100, click on Ver Top 100 Completo and enter your name and email. Then enter the code you received by email. 47 Canada (Canadian Hot 100) 94 Iceland (Tónlistinn) 35 Lebanon (Lebanese Top 20) 2 Luxembourg (Billboard) 2 Malaysia International (RIM) 5 Middle East and North Africa (IFPI) 1 Romania Airplay (UPFR) 2 San Marino Airplay (SMRTV Top 50) 22 Singapore (RIAS) 12 South Africa Airplay (TOSAC) 2 Suriname (Nationale Top 40) 1 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) 48 United Arab Emirates (IFPI) 3 US Afrobeats Songs (Billboard) 7 US World Digital Song Sales (Billboard) 5
Year-end charts + 2022 year-end chart positions for "Calm Down" Chart (2022) Position Belgium (Ultratop Flanders) 46 Belgium (Ultratop Wallonia) 2 France (SNEP) 2 Germany (Official German Charts) 90 Netherlands (Single Top 100) 3 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 10 + 2023 year-end chart positions for "Calm Down" Chart (2023) Position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) 10 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) 70 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) 12 Brazil Airplay (Crowley Charts) 73 Bulgaria Airplay (PROPHON) 4 Denmark (Tracklisten) 43 Germany (Official German Charts) 19 Iceland (Tónlistinn) 52 Italy (FIMI) 72 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) 9 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) 50 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 2 UK Singles (OCC) 6 + 2024 year-end chart positions for "Calm Down" Chart (2024) Position France (SNEP) 65 Iceland (Tónlistinn) 100 Portugal Top 200 Streams (AFP) 94 Portugal Top 200 Singles (AFP) 95 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 46 + 2025 year-end chart positions for "Calm Down" Chart (2025) Position France (SNEP) 172
Selena Gomez remix
Weekly charts + Weekly chart performance for "Calm Down" (remix) with Selena Gomez Chart (2022–2026) Peakposition Australia (ARIA) 11 Austria (Billboard) 7 Belgium (Billboard) 1 Bulgaria Airplay (PROPHON) 2 Chile (Monitor Latino) 8 Colombia Anglo Airplay (National-Report) 1 CIS (TopHit) 12 Croatia (Billboard) 23 Croatia International Airplay (Top lista) 13 El Salvador (Monitor Latino) 11 France (Billboard) 2 Germany (Billboard) 17 Global Excl. US (Billboard) 1Greece International (IFPI) 4 Iceland (Tónlistinn) 38 India International (IMI) 1 Ireland (Billboard) 5 Israel International Airplay (Media Forest) 2 Lithuania (AGATA) 23 Lithuania Airplay (TopHit) 37 Luxembourg (Billboard) 1 Malaysia (Billboard) 8 Mexico (Billboard) 16 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 1 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) 7 Nicaragua (Monitor Latino) 6 Nigeria (TurnTable Top 100) 17 Nigeria Airplay (TurnTable) 1 Panama (Monitor Latino) 2 Panama (PRODUCE) 9 Paraguay (Monitor Latino) 9 Peru (Billboard) 23 Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100) 2 Poland (Polish Streaming Top 100) 14 Portugal (Billboard) 1 Romania (Billboard) 11 Singapore (Billboard) 11 South Africa (Billboard) 1 Spain (Billboard) 22 Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan) 4 Switzerland (Billboard) 1 United Kingdom (OCC) 3 Uruguay (Monitor Latino) 15 US World Digital Song Sales (Billboard) 1 Venezuela Airplay (Record Report) 65
Monthly charts + Monthly chart positions for "Calm Down" (remix) with Selena Gomez Chart (2023) Peakposition Russia Airplay (TopHit) 24
Year-end charts + 2022 year-end chart positions for "Calm Down" (remix) with Selena Gomez Chart (2022) Position Global 200 (Billboard) 124 Latvia (EHR) 69 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 18 US Afrobeats Songs (Billboard) 6 + 2023 year-end chart positions for "Calm Down" (remix) with Selena Gomez Chart (2023) Position Australia (ARIA) 12 Brazil Streaming (Pro-Música Brasil) 112 Canada (Canadian Hot 100) 2 Global 200 (Billboard) 2 Global Singles (IFPI) 2 India International Streaming (IMI) 1 Moldova Airplay (TopHit) 11 Netherlands (Single Top 100) 9 Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100) 32 Poland (Polish Streaming Top 100) 31 Portugal Airplay (AFP) 1 Romania Airplay (TopHit) 80 Spain Airplay (PROMUSICAE) 8 US Billboard Hot 100 6 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) 20 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard) 4 US Afrobeats Songs (Billboard) 1 US Dance/Mix Show Airplay (Billboard) 44 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard) 1 US Rhythmic (Billboard) 1 US R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (Billboard) 21 + 2024 year-end chart positions for "Calm Down" (remix) with Selena Gomez Chart (2024) Position CIS Airplay (TopHit) 107 Global 200 (Billboard) 38 Moldova Airplay (TopHit) 152 Romania Airplay (TopHit) 122 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) 8 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard) 13 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard) 21 + 2025 year-end chart positions for "Calm Down" (remix) with Selena Gomez Chart (2025) Position Moldova Airplay (TopHit) 150 Romania Airplay (TopHit) 168 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) 18
Certifications
Release history +Release dates and formats for "Calm Down" Region Date Format Version Label(s) United States 6 September 2022 Contemporary hit radio Remix Interscope
Notes
References