Nigerian singer Rema (Divine Ikubor) has explained why he changed his name before the release of his second album, HEIS, last year. The artist changed his look by giving up his signature mask, Teddy Bear, and embracing darker hues, smoking, and tattoos. He also changed his appearance and voice.
Rema stated Thursday, the one-year anniversary of his sophomore album, that his rebranding, which included smoking, was only an artistic expression and not a violation of his character as many had assumed. He said that Itachi Uchiha, a character from the Japanese anime series Naruto, served as the inspiration for the contentious album cover.
Rema explained that the cover for HEIS was inspired by Itachi from Naruto, representing truth masked as illusion. He described how love was concealed beneath what others perceived as betrayal, reflected in his change of sound, smoking, looks, aesthetics, and choice of color.
Rema stated that he had always declared from the start, “I am the future” and “I am the chosen one.” He shared that he made a triumphant return to his hometown of Benin after five years, selling out the stadium and receiving the blessings of the Oba, leaving with a medal, which he referred to as a key.
He emphasized that this achievement held deep significance, drawing inspiration from the stories of Jesus, whom he associated with the “key of life,” and Neo from The Matrix in his search for the key. Rema noted that no award or international recognition could fill this void for him, as he poured himself into the album HEIS musically, physically, psychologically, and spiritually. He concluded by connecting the themes of Jesus as “I AM,” Neo as “The One,” and himself as “HEIS.”
