Rising Afrobeats sensation Rema gave his fans a passionate and lively performance in Los Angeles this week as part of his Rave & Roses U.S. Tour. The Nigerian singer, songwriter, and producer performed songs from his debut album Rave & Roses in addition to hits “Iron Man” and “Dumebi”, which are credited with catapulting him to success.
Rema is a testimony as one of the youngest Nigerian artists to achieve wide-spread popularity at the age of 22. His music career required a lot of sacrifice and relentless traveling, but it appears that his effort was worthwhile. According to Naijahits, Rave & Roses has over 100 million streams on Spotify to date. The music video for “Calm Down” has also gained 124 million views on YouTube, demonstrating how Rema’s enthusiasm for visuals has been appreciated by fans. It is therefore not unexpected that his creative prowess has been well received around the world, especially during his sold-out performance in Los Angeles.
In the intimate setting of the Echoplex, fans perfectly complemented Rema’s energy. He continuously exuded a friendly vibe that created a welcoming atmosphere for the audience. He warmed up the crowd by opening with a heartfelt performance of “Are You There” over the upbeat production. His ability to adapt to any audience and setting was demonstrated with verses being smoothly articulated and enunciated with a cool demeanor. While Rema has a variety of songs that spark various feelings in his listeners, he did not hesitate to perform his broad catalog. Each song on the set list flowed seamlessly as he alternated between new songs from his debut album and classic fan favorites including a performance of “Beamer” and, of course, “Dumebi.” He expressed gratitude to every one of his supporters, both those who had been with him from the beginning and others who have recently been exposed to his music.
Rema is well-known for being youthful and fun among Afrobeats listeners, but his Rave & Roses Tour highlights how much he has matured through his expressive talent for live performance. At first, he turned to music at church for comfort, taking on youth leadership roles that mixed rap and church music to help him come out of his shell and restore his confidence. Now, at the age of just 22, he is on a world tour, playing to packed houses in support of his debut album. Overall, Rema’s composure and infectious enthusiasm make him a standout performer among the current upsurge of Afrobeats artists.
Listen to Rave & Roses here.
