MUMBAI: Nigerian singing sensation Rema, whose hit song 'Calm Down' has made waves on the internet with over one million Reels made on it, says without social media, he wouldn't have known how popular his music is in India.

Does he credit social media for the popularity of his song 'Calm Down'?

In a conversation with IANS, he said: "Every song is meant to do what it is supposed to do and I feel like 'Calm Down' is just doing what it's supposed to do and apparently this is the perfect time for Calm Down."

He added: "When I posted my first freestyle on social media and that kind of got me the attention from my label and everything and social media then helped me reach a wider audience and engage with fans all across the world."

The 23-year-old said that social media is a good tool.

"Without social media, I wouldn't have even known how popular my music is in India. Social media is a very good tool to actually gauge your receptiveness and popularity."

Afro beat is currently the rage globally, how does Rema see the genre getting so much popularity?

Calling it an ever-growing community, Rema said: "The only current trend in Afrobeats that I've observed is the new wave and the experimentation and trying to do something fresh. There is now confidence to be creatively free."

He added: "The new generation has more stance because everyone has brought their evolving ideas on the table of Afrobeats and it's an ever-growing community."

Rema, whose real name is Divine Ikubor, is thankful to god for not facing challenges while trying to keep a balance between the blend of different genres in his music.

"I do not face any kind of challenges. It comes easy to me and I am grateful to God for the same. I pray a lot and am a very spiritual person, its never hard to me. I don't write, I create."

Rema was in the country for his 'Rema Calm Down India Tour' from May 12-14, during which he performed in cities such as New Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad.

(SOURCE:IANS)