Three of R&B’s leading young ladies have each scored their first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (dated April 14): H.E.R., Ella Mai, and Queen Naija.
Detroit-based singer Queen Naija, 22, debuts at No. 45 on the Hot 100 with her first single “Medicine.” Sparked by the March 29 release of its official video, the song surged by 108 percent to 16.5 million U.S. streams and 126 percent to 5,000 downloads sold in the week ending April 5, according to Nielsen Music. The clip has drawn over 12 million global views so far.
Naija is a popular YouTube personality and formerly half of the “Chris and Queen” channel, with her now-ex-husband. Her solo channel has surpassed 2 million subscribers.
“Medicine” concurrently ranks at No. 10 on the R&B Songs chart (after reaching No. 8) and No. 24 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, while Naija hits the top 10 on the Emerging Artists chart for the first time (26-10).
British singer-songwriter Ella Mai, 23, debuts at No. 78 on the Hot 100 with her breakout song, “Boo’d Up.” It starts with 6.7 million U.S. streams (up 27 percent), 14 million radio audience impressions (up 21 percent) and 5,000 downloads sold (up 5 percent).
The track places at No. 14 on R&B Songs (after hitting No. 9) and No. 38 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, while Mai reaches a new peak on Emerging Artists at No. 15.
Mai’s EP Changes reached No. 38 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart in 2016 and her follow-up EP Ready reached No. 25 on Heatseekers Albums last year.
Finally, Vallejo, California-bred singer H.E.R., 20, makes her Hot 100 debut at No. 100 with “Focus.” The song enters with 12 million radio audience impressions (up 5 percent), 5.3 million U.S. streams (down 3 percent) and 2,000 sold (up 1 percent).
“Focus” ranks at No. 46 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (a notch off its No. 45 high), while H.E.R. stands at No. 29 on Emerging Artists (after rising to No. 21).
H.E.R. has tallied three entries on the Billboard 200: H.E.R., Vol. 2 (No. 49 in July 2017); EP H.E.R., Vol. 2: The B Sides EP (No. 139, November); and her self-titled compilation of her three EPs, which reached No. 56 last week (April 7) in its 24th week on the chart.
via Billboard
