Rema is kicking off his solo releases for 2026 with “Tea,” a rhythmic new single produced by Mustard with additional production from longtime collaborator London.
The Nigerian superstar’s latest track follows a year that has already placed him on some of the world’s largest stages, including his performance of “Goals,” his FIFA World Cup 2026 collaboration with LISA and Anitta, at the tournament’s opening ceremony in Los Angeles. “Tea” is out now, with an accompanying music video set to premiere Friday.
Built around heavy percussion, an immediately recognizable high-pitched chorus and a hypnotic rhythmic foundation, “Tea” finds Rema leaning into a lighter, flirtatious side of his sound. The song uses the phrase “body like tea” as a playful celebration of feminine beauty and curves, pairing the concept with a warm, dance-ready production designed for the final stretch of summer.
The collaboration with Mustard also connects Rema with one of hip-hop and R&B’s most recognizable producers, while London’s involvement maintains a link to the creative partnership that has helped shape Rema’s music throughout his career.
“Tea” marks Rema’s first solo single of 2026 following several major collaborations. He recently appeared on Don Toliver’s “Secondhand,” which reached No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100, before joining LISA and Anitta for “Goals,” the official FIFA World Cup 2026 collaboration.
The new release continues a career that has helped push Afrobeats further into the global pop mainstream. Rema’s 2019 self-titled project introduced the artist internationally before his debut studio album, Rave & Roses, became the first album by an African artist to surpass two billion Spotify streams.
Its defining single, “Calm Down,” became a worldwide crossover success, with its Selena Gomez remix expanding the song’s reach across international pop markets. The track spent a record-setting 58 weeks atop Billboard’s U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart and earned five-times Platinum certification from the RIAA. Its success helped establish Rema as one of the leading artists behind Afrobeats’ rapid global expansion.
Rema pushed his sound in a more percussive and aggressive direction with his sophomore album, HEIS. Released in 2024, the project explored the foundations of Afrobeats while filtering those influences through his own increasingly experimental approach. HEIS subsequently earned Rema his first GRAMMY nomination for Best Global Music Album.
The album also propelled an international touring run that included Coachella and performances at major venues including Madison Square Garden in New York, The O2 in London, Accor Arena in Paris and Okinawa Arena in Japan.
His influence has increasingly moved beyond music as well. Earlier this year, Rema appeared on the runway for Diesel in Milan after being selected by Glenn Martens, adding another high-profile fashion moment to a career that has increasingly crossed music, style and global youth culture.
With “Tea,” Rema returns his focus to his own catalog while carrying the momentum of his World Cup appearance and recent collaborations into the next phase of his 2026 releases.
Featured image credit: Flixz
