Nigerian music star, Divine Ikubor, popularly known as Rema, has opened up about the inspiration behind his rebranding ahead of the release of his sophomore album, HEIS, marking its one-year anniversary this week.
Rema, who made headlines in 2023 for drastically altering his public image—ditching his signature mask and teddy bear for tattoos, smoking, and darker-themed visuals—explained that the transformation was purely artistic and not a betrayal of his true self.
Taking to his X (formerly Twitter) account on Thursday, the ‘Calm Down’ hitmaker shared a reflective note with fans, shedding light on the deeper meaning behind his creative shift.
“I expressed a lot of surface level reasons why I released this project over a course of interviews when it came out,” Rema wrote. “But here are a few symbolic details that wrap around the energy of the project I kept for myself but now, I’d like to share. Consider this an author’s note.”
He revealed that the album’s controversial cover was inspired by Naruto anime character Itachi Uchiha, known for his complex story of love, sacrifice, and misunderstood actions. Rema drew a parallel between Itachi’s narrative and his own artistic journey.
“The cover was inspired by Itachi in Naruto. The truth masked as illusion, love buried under what y’all thought was betrayal (change of sound, smoking, looks, aesthetics & choice of color),” he explained.
His comment addresses critics who perceived his adoption of cigarettes and tattoos as a deviation from his earlier clean-cut image. Rema clarified that these were symbolic tools used to convey a new phase in his artistry, not personal lifestyle changes.
This explanation echoes sentiments shared by fellow Nigerian artist Shallipopi, who previously stated that he does not smoke, despite frequently appearing with cigarettes in his photos and videos—insisting they were for aesthetic purposes.
HEIS, released last year, marked a significant sonic and visual shift for Rema, pushing the boundaries of Afrobeats with a darker, more experimental edge that challenged both fans and critics to see beyond appearances.
