Nigerian Afrobeats sensation, Divine Ikubor, popularly known as Rema, has been named in the 2025 TIME100 Next list, which spotlights the world’s most influential rising stars.
The list, published on Tuesday, celebrates emerging leaders and changemakers across industries ranging from music, movies, and sports to science, politics, and philanthropy.
Rema stands out as the only African artist honoured this year. His profile was penned by Grammy-winning legend Angélique Kidjo, who hailed him as a trailblazer for Afrobeats on the global stage.
“The young Nigerian superstar has accomplished so much: ‘Calm Down’ has joined the billion-streams club twice over,” Kidjo wrote. “Rema is the embodiment of the international success of Afrobeats. Thanks to artists like him, African music is at the forefront of global culture.”
Other global music figures on the list include Teyana Taylor and GloRilla, alongside innovators and rising stars in various sectors worldwide.