Nigerian Afrobeat artistes, Burna Boy and Rema achieved significant success in the first Afrobeats categories during the 2023 Billboard Music Awards, held on November 19.
Burna Boy secured the Top Afrobeats Artiste award, triumphing over tough competition from Wizkid, Rema, Tems, and Cameroonian star Libianca. This victory marked Burna Boy as the historic first-ever winner in the newly-established Top Afrobeats Artiste category.
In another notable win, Rema’s ‘Calm Down‘ remix featuring Selena Gomez earned the Top Afrobeats Song accolade. The remix outshined tracks like Ayra Starr’s ‘Rush’, Oxlade’s ‘Ku Lo Sa’, Libianca’s ‘People’, and Victony’s ‘Soweto’ with Rema and Don Toliver.
While Rema’s ‘Calm Down’ remix secured victory in its category, it faced tough competition in other categories such as Top Billboard Collaboration, Top Billboard Excl. U.S. Song, Top Billboard Global 200 Song, and Top Radio Song, where it did not emerge victorious.
On the broader winners’ list, American singer Morgan Wallen led with an impressive 11 awards, closely followed by Taylor Swift, who secured 10 wins.