Nigerian music sensations Burna Boy and Rema clinched top honors at the 2023 Billboard Music Awards broadcast on November 19. The awards, acknowledging outstanding contributions to music, considered metrics such as album and digital song sales, streaming figures, radio airplay, touring success, and social engagement.
Burna Boy seized the newly-established Best Afrobeats Artist accolade, while Rema’s ‘Calm Down’ featuring Selena Gomez earned the title of Top Afrobeats Song, a debut category at the awards. In his acceptance speech, Burna Boy lauded the Billboard Music Awards, dedicating the win to Africa and its emerging artists, expressing optimism for the future.
Both artists’ Billboard triumphs followed sold-out headline shows during their global tours. Rema sold out the 20,000-capacity O2 Arena in London on November 14, while Burna Boy, amid a 16-city marathon supporting his latest album ‘I Told Them,’ performed at the Toyota Center in Houston.
Morgan Wallen dominated the night with 11 wins, and Taylor Swift secured the most accolades among female artists, claiming 10 prizes, including the prestigious Top Artist Award. For a comprehensive list of winners, see below.
