A Seat at the Table: Rema at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto

Photo gallery/Words by: Ada (Director Ley) Diop

Photo by: Ada (Director Ley) Diop for THHGURU

The electric energy at Scotiabank Arena was absolutely air-bending. As the crowd echoed “Call Azaman!” in unison, the ground beneath me seemed to shake — not just from bass, but from belonging. Rent was due, and Rema collected. In that moment, you could feel the vibration of a nation. Rema’s impact was undeniable — he turned 40 Bay into a meeting point of generations.

A kid from Benin City had filled a stadium of 20,000. HEIS wasn’t just the soundtrack of the night — it was the prophecy fulfilled. The proof in the pudding.

The set design, brought to life by Richie Igunma and team, felt like an immersive myth. From Edo symbolism to futuristic projections, this wasn’t just a concert — it was a statement. A spiritual archive. A pop star’s rite of passage.

Even the crowd felt like part of the set. Outfit after outfit, aura upon aura — the HEIS spirit was woven into every look. It truly felt like the African Fyne Festival: a reminder that we show up and show out for every occasion. And Rema’s looks? Look after look, styled by Mui Hai with support from Internet X, Slawnthecnvct, and more— each fit felt like a cinematic chapter, tailored to mark a moment.

Then came one of the night’s most unforgettable scenes — Rema’s response to the Big 4 conversation. He didn’t just speak on it, he staged it. A full table was rolled onto the stage, set like a last supper, with life-size figures of Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Davido seated in place. Then Rema climbed on top of the table and declared, “Dinner has been served. ” It wasn’t just a statement — it was a shift. A visual proclamation that the conversation is no longer pending. The bill has come to the table, and Rema isn’t waiting for a seat — he’s already standing at the center of it.

The show closed with an Ozeba encore — not once, not twice, but three times. A victory lap. A reminder of just how deeply this album has moved a generation. Rema has made us proud in more ways than one. The drums and production by London on that track set the whole room ablaze. And we can’t forget the synths that opened the night— March Am, Azaman — P.Priime did his thing.

Rema moved through worlds — Afrobeats, trap, alté — with complete ease. But beyond genre, what truly carried the night was the presence of someone with nothing left to prove. If anything is written in the stars, it’s this: Rema will be remembered in history — and maybe, one day, his name written in one.