Selena Gomez pre-recorded the acceptance speech in which she credited Nigerian rapper Rema
Selena Gomez was excited and ready to celebrate as she accepted the 2023 Billboard Music Awards on Sunday.
Gomez, who was unable to attend the show in-person, pre-recorded a message for her win alongside Rema for best Afrobeats song for their collab, Calm Down.
The Only Murders in the Building star, 31, was dressed in a colourful, crocheted Oscar de la Renta floral dress.
“Hi, Billboard! Thank you guys so, so much for this award,” the Rare Beauty founder began her acceptance speech.
“This is honestly Rema’s doing,” she said of 23-year-old Nigerian rapper, Rema.
“He chose me to be a part of such an incredible song. So, I want to thank him and thank all of you for streaming and listening and I wish we could be there. But thank you!”
congratulations to rema and selena gomez for winning “top afrobeats song” at the #BBMAs calm down remix is a masterpiece 💃🏻 pic.twitter.com/kiBQlYiO75
— ana (@withluvselena) November 19, 2023
Calm Down was also nominated in four other categories at Sunday’s awards show, which is a “reimagined” version of its typical format, per the Billboard Music Awards, featuring “performances and award celebrations” in locations around the world.
The win for the Single Soon singer comes after she had been stepping out and about with her bestie Taylor Swift, before she headed to her South American leg of Eras Tour.
The Cruel Summer singer and Gomez were seen alongside Gigi Hadid, Sophie Turner and Brittany Mahomes for a Girls Night out earlier this month.
The girls’ night out also came amid the Anti-Hero singer’s growing friendship with Mahomes while her romance with Travis Kelce heats up.