Nigerian musician Divine Ikubor, also known as Rema, recently elucidated his rationale for altering his musical style in his latest album, HeIs. During a recent interview with Apple Music, the singer of “Calm Down” expressed his intention to innovate, attributing his decision to a perceived stagnation in Afrobeats.

Rema emphasized the need for Nigerian artists to exercise caution in order to safeguard the integrity of Afrobeats. He remarked, “Afrobeats had become predictable, prompting me to make a change.” He further shared his concern about the potential dilution of Afrobeats and cautioned against relinquishing control of the genre. “If we continue to water it down, some may begin to dominate our Afrobeats awards,” he cautioned.

In addition, Rema articulated his belief that the global perspective on Afrobeats has overshadowed its indigenous roots. He stressed, “In light of Afrobeats’ global success, we must not disregard our local voices.” At his album’s debut in London, the artist urged his Nigerian counterparts to reclaim and safeguard Afrobeats. “We must reclaim and protect our heritage. By diluting it, we inadvertently open the door for others to appropriate it. Only when others start winning Afrobeats awards will we realize that we have unwittingly relinquished our identity,” he emphasized.

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