Big Lesson I Learned After Bat Flew Into My Room in Benin - Rema

Nigerian singer Rema is the latest star on the cover of DAZED magazine and during his interview with the magazine, Rema got a little bit deep about his life, the impact he feels his name has had on his life, his experience with a bat that flew into his room, and why he feels a need to always showcase his culture where he goes.

When Rema was asked about his birth name, Divine Ikubor (given by his mother to commemorate her struggle with his delayed birth), Rema and the interviewer land naturally on ‘Divine’ which is a song written by Rema that tells the story of his arrival into the world and the name he was given thereafter. Speaking about if he feels like his name Divine has had any impact on his life and career, Rema said:

REMA: For sure. I don’t like to think too deep into it, but yes. Even in the Bible, God changed the names of people sometimes when their name no longer fit in with their goals or where God was taking them to.

Then, speaking about his experience with a bat in Benin and the impact it had on him, Rema said:

REMA: I was in my room in Benin when a bat entered. I couldn’t catch it, I couldn’t kill it because I didn’t know where it was going. So I just waited until it flew back out on its own. You never know where bats are going next. I move like that. In my music and my life. Their patience also stands out to me. They know when to retreat, when to lay low, just plotting and lurking until the time is right. Then they come out strong.

Then, speaking about being a boy from Benin and the different ways it has affected him and his career, Rema said:

REMA: That night at the O2 Arena, I felt like a host. [It was] the first time a person from Benin had performed at the O2; there was no way I was going to perform on that stage without honouring our people. I was in an avatar state. I had to bring the art, the culture, the fears. For the mask, we chose the materials including the stones and their placements so that energy could pass through me from head to toe. Every stone selected was there to activate a different… chakra.

It’s a shame that people misunderstood it. But that’s the price, I guess. Unlike other… cultures, there aren’t many of us repping where we’re from, you know what I mean? So I feel like I have to bring it with me every time. Still, I can’t stop to calculate impact because it’ll distract me. There’s more to do. And I won’t stop until the deed is done

What do you think about what Rema had to say? Let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment either below or on my Jide Okonjo Facebook post.

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