Rema, the 24-year-old Afrobeats sensation whose real name is Divine Ikubor , has shared a heartfelt sentiment about his desire to recapture his childhood.
In a recent interview, Rema revealed that the loss of his father and brother at a young age thrust him into a premature adulthood, forcing him to prioritize providing for his family over his own youthful experiences.
As a result, Rema feels he missed out on a traditional childhood and was forced to grow up too quickly. He expressed a longing to break free from the constant seriousness and scrutiny that comes with fame, desiring to feel young and carefree again.
Rema’s life has been tightly scheduled with endless meetings and adult responsibilities, leaving him feeling suffocated. He admitted to feeling tired of the pressures of fame and the weight of expectation.
Rema’s latest project, ‘HeIs’, is his attempt to reclaim his childhood and tap into his creative spirit. The project is a reflection of his desire to be rebellious and free, unshackled from the burdens of fame.
“I really wanted to feel like a child again… I feel like I grew up too fast. Life switched up on me crazy when I lost my dad and my brother. The weight was just on my shoulder and forced me to sell my childhood to provide for my family.
“God willing, everything happened well, it happened fast. And with fast fame, comes fast maturity. It’s just like never ending level of seriousness. So much adults. So much meetings. I didn’t even rolled with my age mates.
“So this project [‘HeIs’], I just want to be a child. And it’s coming out. It’s not me forcing it out. It just sparked in my spirit. I just want to feel young again. I just to be a rebel. You know, kids make mistakes and it’s acceptable. But when you’re a teenager and you make the same mistake your peers would make, everyone will come for you just because you’re in the spotlight.
“I know people who smoked a cigarette when they were 13 and I’m 24 smoking a cigarette because I just want to feel free and break some rules. All my life just feel so planned and scheduled. I just got tired,” he said.