Rema has been named to the 2025 TIME100 Next list of global rising leaders.
Praised by Angélique Kidjo, he’s celebrated as a driving force in Afrobeats’ worldwide success.
Nigerian Afrobeat sensation Rema has earned a spot on the 2025 TIME100 Next list, joining a global lineup of emerging leaders and creators shaping the future across music, politics, business, and culture.
The announcement, published on TIME’s official website, highlights 100 rising stars making significant impact in their fields. The issue features three international covers, spotlighting singer-songwriter Tate McRae, actor Jonathan Bailey, and Spring Health co-founder April Koh, alongside other honorees that include Rema.
TIME’s CEO Jessica Sibley said the list is meant to recognize changemakers “who are shaping the next generation of leadership and redefining what progress, influence, and impact mean in today’s world.”
She added that the group will be celebrated at an event in October. Grammy-winning Beninese singer Angélique Kidjo, who wrote Rema’s tribute for TIME, praised him as a central figure in the global rise of Afrobeats.
“I fell in love with Rema’s “Calm Down.” It has a unique flow and feel, not mimicking Western pop; it is rooted in Africa but also catchy and virtuosic. The young Nigerian superstar has accomplished so much. “Calm Down” has joined the billion-streams club twice over. Rema has performed in stadiums. His latest album earned a Grammy nomination,” she said. She described him as “the embodiment of the international success of Afrobeats.”
