Rema
Nigerian Afrobeats star, Divine Ikubor, popularly known as Rema, has urged artistes in the genre not to limit their creativity to what fans already enjoy.
Speaking at his concert over the weekend, Rema said artistes must be willing to experiment and create music based on their own artistic instincts if Afrobeats is to continue evolving.
According to the singer, he makes music that he personally enjoys before considering whether audiences will embrace it.
“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,” he said.
Rema also described himself as the “Prince of Afrobeats”, saying he sees himself as part of a new generation responsible for pushing the genre to new levels.
His comments come amid ongoing discussions about the direction of Afrobeats, particularly the growing influence of foreign sounds and other musical genres on contemporary African music.
Some traditional Afrobeats fans have criticised artistes for incorporating more international sounds into their music in an effort to appeal to audiences outside Africa.
Despite the criticism, several Afrobeats artistes continue to experiment with different styles, reflecting the genre’s growing global influence.