Afrobeats won’t move forward if we stick to what fans like — Rema

Nigerian Afrobeats star, Divine Ikubor, popularly known as Rema, has called on artistes to keep evolving and avoid becoming too comfortable with the sound that already appeals to their fans.

Rema made the call while speaking during a performance at his concert, where he discussed the growth of Afrobeats and the need for artistes to prioritise creativity.

The singer argued that artistes can limit themselves when they focus too much on making music based on what their fans expect. 

According to him, Afrobeats will struggle to progress if artistes continue to put audience preferences ahead of their creative ideas.

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Rema also described himself as the ‘Prince of Afrobeats’, saying he intends to contribute to the genre’s growth regardless of whether fans immediately accept his sound.

“I don’t care what you say about me. I don’t care if you like what I like. But I make music that I like before you like it. If I stick to what you like, Afrobeats is not going to move forward. And I will say it one more time, I am the f**king Prince of Afrobeats,” he said.

His comments come amid recent conversations on social media about the direction of Afrobeats, particularly criticism of artistes who combine the genre with other sounds and genres in an effort to reach international audiences.