With his number-one single, “Calm Down,” he has swept the globe. Divine Ikubor, better known as Rema, is currently on his debut tour of India and is expected to enthral his Indian admirers. “I’m already in love with Mumbai. I had the most vibrant welcome. I feel so happy and privileged to be in India. The people here are so positive, loving and generous. Since childhood I knew that India is a place of high cultural values. I love the vibe of this country.”
Rema is appreciative when we explain to him that Calm Down has a sizable following in India as well. He shares how he operates by saying, “Whenever I make music, it’s for the whole world to listen to. I believe every song has its time and this was the perfect time for Calm Down. Imagine if I’d dropped Calm Down in 2019, I don’t know how it would’ve done (referring to the ever-changing musical tastes and sensibilities). I just felt like dropping it now and it was just the perfect timing.”
He continues by discussing his songwriting partnership with singer Selena Gomez: “Selena is amazing. Working on the song was really easy, thanks to her. She was communicative, keen on the idea of this song and wanted to make sure that she complimented my verse. Her voice is just perfect.”
The singer says that he plans to “go sightseeing” when he is in India for the three cities of the Rema – Calm Down India Tour. He further adds, “I want to explore the country, hear some local music, try some new spicy Indian food and maybe watch a few Bollywood films.”
So, does he like Bollywood? Pat gets a response, “I’ve heard a lot about Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan (actors), since Bollywood is quite popular back home. Also, I’ve been listening to (musicians) AR Rahman and Badshah. I look forward to collaborating with Indians, especially with Badshah and AR. I hope I get to sing in an Indian language soon. I’d love to explore the whole Indian-Afro cross-cultural connection.”
