Nigerian Afrobeats sensation Divine Ikubor, popularly known as Rema, has been named among the 2025 TIME100 Next, a prestigious list spotlighting the world’s most influential rising stars.
The list, unveiled on Tuesday by TIME magazine, celebrates innovators and trailblazers across music, sports, film, politics, philanthropy, and technology.
Rema was not the only Nigerian descendant featured. British-Nigerian actor and producer Damson Idris, along with Nigerian-American visual artist Toyin Odutola, also made the influential roll call.
Grammy-winning legend Angélique Kidjo penned Rema’s profile, describing the singer as a global force for Afrobeats. “With the recent global explosion of African music, I needed to include some contemporary sounds. 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. I love to sing it,” Kidjo wrote.
She highlighted Rema’s remarkable achievements, including his song Calm Down surpassing two billion streams, his Grammy nomination, and his ability to fill stadiums around the world. “Rema is the embodiment of the international success of Afrobeats. Thanks to artists like him, African music is at the forefront of global culture,” she added.
Rema first gained attention in 2019 after his viral freestyle to D’Prince’s Gucci Gang earned him a record deal under Jonzing World/Mavin Records. His breakout hit Dumebi marked the start of a successful career, but his true global breakthrough came with Calm Down and its Selena Gomez remix, which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and held the top spot on the Billboard Afrobeats Songs chart for a record 58 weeks.
The 24-year-old star has since collected major awards, including the MTV Video Music Award for Best Afrobeats and the Billboard Music Award for Top Afrobeats Song. In 2022, he received a milestone award for hitting one billion global streams and delivered a standout performance at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris.
This year’s TIME100 Next also features global names such as Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal, Mexican-American singer Becky G, Canadian pop star Tate McRae, British actor Jonathan Bailey, South Korean footballer Lee Kang-in, Brazilian activist Anielle Franco, and Formula One driver Lando Norris.
Others include Palestinian surgeon Dr. Ghassan Abu-Sittah, Egyptian squash champion Nouran Gohar, American filmmaker Celine Song, and Hollywood actress Rachel Zegler.
“Everyone on the TIME100 Next leapt into action—often in challenging circumstances—and in doing so, accomplished the extraordinary. They demonstrate the power we all have to make a difference,” said Cate Matthews, who led the selection process.
