"Calm Down" is a song by Nigerian singer Rema, from his debut studio album Rave & Roses (2022). It was released on 11 February 2022, through Jonzing World and Mavin as the album's second single. The song charted across Europe, reaching number one on the Belgian Ultratop 50, Dutch Top 40 and Dutch Single Top 100. In the United Kingdom, the song peaked at number three and spent twenty-seven non-consecutive weeks in the top ten of the UK Singles Chart. The song is widely regarded as the biggest and most successful Afrobeats song of all time.
A remix of "Calm Down" with American singer Selena Gomez was released on 25 August 2022. The new version reached number one on both the Billboard US Afrobeats Songs and the Billboard Global Excl. US charts, and peaked at number three on the Global 200 chart. It peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100, marking Rema's first top-ten hit and Gomez's ninth. It has also led the U.S. Afrobeats Songs for a record-setting 57 weeks. In the US, it topped the Pop Airplay, Adult Pop Airplay, and all-genre Radio Songs charts, becoming Rema's first number-one song on each chart and Gomez's first number one on the latter two charts. It reached number one on the Canadian Hot 100 chart dated 13 May 2023.
Background
Miami-based Amanda Ibanez, who also goes by her stage name Kiddo AI, was asked by Interscope senior director of A&R Vanessa Angiuli to write a spec verse for Selena Gomez on the song. Ibanez quickly wrote and recorded two different possible options for a Selena verse. Within a few hours of sending them to Angiuli, Ibanez received a response back from Angiuli who told her that Gomez loved the verse. Within the next few weeks, Ibanez and Gomez began to trade ideas back and forth and refine the verse. Ibanez eventually flew to Los Angeles to complete the song after a request to have more of Gomez on the song.
On 17 August 2022, Selena Gomez posted a photo of herself and Rema on her social media, captioning it "coming soon". The remix was released a week later.
Composition
The song was described as a "vibey" "feelgood smash hit". Reviewing the remix, Vanguard writer Adegboyega Remmy Adeleye thought Gomez' "melodic tune complements Rema's vibe perfectly, maintaining the same energy as the original release".
The song is recorded in the key of B major with a tempo of 107 beats per minute in common time. It follows a chord progression of E–B, and the vocals span from D4 to F5.
Achievements
Charts
Original version
Year-end charts
Selena Gomez remix
Monthly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Original version
Selena Gomez remix
Notes
References
2022 singles
2022 songs
Canadian Hot 100 number-one singles
Dutch Top 40 number-one singles
Number-one singles in Portugal
Number-one singles in Suriname
Number-one singles in Switzerland
Rema (musician) songs
Selena Gomez songs
Songs written by Rema (musician) Songs written by Selena Gomez Ultratop 50 Singles (Wallonia) number-one singles Billboard Global Excl. U.S. number-one singles Mavin Records singles
