10 First-Timers on Billboard’s Charts This Week: Kenya Grace, Britney Manson, Tim Montana & More

Xander Zellner
·6 min read
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Billboard has more than 200 different weekly charts in its menu, encompassing numerous genres and formats.

While established artists often compete for a spot on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart and Billboard 200 albums ranking, which track the most popular songs and albums of the week, respectively, up-and-coming talents typically start off on genre-specific lists.

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Here’s a look at artists who appear on surveys for the first time on the Sept. 16-dated charts.

Kenya Grace

The British singer-songwriter makes her Billboard chart debut thanks to her breakthrough song “Strangers.” Released Sept. 1 via KGJ/Major Recordings/Warner Records, the track debuts at No. 5 on the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart with 3.3 million streams and 1,000 downloads sold in the U.S. its opening week, according to Luminate. It also opens at No. 4 on Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales, No. 20 on the Hot 100’s Bubbling Under ranking, No. 56 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart and No. 79 on the Billboard Global 200. In her home country, the song starts at No. 20 on the Official UK Singles chart.

TikTok has been a major factor in the song’s growing profile, as a portion of the audio has been used in more than 200,000 clips on the platform. (TikTok does not presently contribute directly to Billboard’s charts.) One such video, on Grace’s profile, has logged more than 12 million views. Grace has released five other songs: “Venus” with Homebodi, “Someone Else” with 3STRANGE, “Oranges,” “Afterparty Lover” (all in 2022) and “Meteor” (May).

Britney Manson

The Russian-Estonian model and performer is now a Billboard-charting artist thanks to her song “Fashion.” The track, which she self-released Aug. 11, debuts at No. 41 on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs with 677,000 U.S. streams (up 39%). TikTok, where she boasts over 1 million followers, has been instrumental in the song’s growth, as a portion of it has been used in more than 30,000 clips on the platform, many of which soundtrack Manson’s videos teaching followers how to walk a runway like famous supermodels such as Kendall Jenner and Shalom Harlow. The song’s latest streaming bump was perhaps boosted by hype leading up to New York Fashion Week (Sept. 7-13). On Aug. 25, Manson also released slowed-down and sped-up versions of the song.

Manson has released two other tracks: “Everyone (I’m Stuck)” and “MODE-L,” both in 2022. “I would describe my walk the same way I’d describe my personality,” she recently told Vogue, which also reported that she signed to Elite Models NYC. “The ‘Britney’ part is feminine, reminiscent of the 2000s, and sexy: That’s why I rock my hips up and down. But I’m also ‘Manson’ – I’m a rebel to the core. That’s why the top of my body is always leading, and I’m serving you a strong face from the 2010s.”

Tim Montana

The singer-songwriter scores his first chart appearance with his breakout single “Devil You Know.” The song, released Aug. 30 via Music Knox/BMG/Broken Bow Records, debuts at No. 36 on Mainstream Rock Airplay and No. 47 on Rock & Alternative Airplay (664,000 audience impressions, up 197%). Montana, from Butte, Mont., and currently based in Nashville, has been releasing music for more than a decade, including three LPs: Tim Montana and the Shrednecks (2016), American Thread (2020) and Long Shots (2021). He also released the EPs Get Em Up and Reno in 2021 and 2022, respectively.

Outside of his solo work, Montana has appeared on Billboard’s charts as a songwriter. He co-wrote Kid Rock’s “Tennessee Mountain Top,” and “Greatest Show on Earth,” which hit Nos. 10 and 39, respectively, on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart in 2017. He has also collaborated with Colbie Caillat and Billy F Gibbons, among others.

Moon Fever

The Seattle-based group lands its first Billboard chart entry with “Getting Loud.” The song, released in April via Astro Recordings, debuts at No. 37 on Mainstream Rock Airplay (up 28% in plays). The act released its debut EP Payphone Blues in 2021 and followed with the songs “Live Fast Die Young” and “I’m Gone” in 2022 and “Nothing Left to Lose” earlier this year. The band is comprised of vocalist Cody Jasper, guitarists Mitch Micoley and Joe Perez, bassist Gabe Maska and drummer Greg Garcia.

RSCL, Repiet & Julia Kleijn

All three artists arrive on Billboard’s charts for the first time with their collaboration “Echo.” The track, released Aug. 11, debuts at No. 40 on Dance/Mix Show Airplay (up 17% in plays). RSCL (pronounced “rascal”; real name Franklin van Beek) has been releasing house music since 2020; Repiet began releasing tunes in 2019; and Julia Kleijn, who provides vocals on “Echo,” has released four additional songs: “Messed Up Calls” with Repiet, “Goodbye” with Siik and Kocmo (both in 2021), “I Don’t Know Why” with Repiet and Jobsen (2022), and “In the Dark” with EnzoGasi (2023).

Supermassive & Ben Boas

Both acts debut for the first time with their collaboration “Rockstar,” billed as by Supermassive featuring Ben Boas. The song, released in June, debuts at No. 33 on Dance/Mix Show Airplay (up 9% in plays). Supermassive is a French duo comprised of Simon Aubert and Edgar Joly. The pair has been releasing music since 2017. Supermassive and Boas also teamed up on the track “Deep Inside,” released Sept. 1.

E.G. Kight

The Chicago-based artist from Dublin, Ga., is now a Billboard-charting act thanks to her new album Sticks & Strings. The set, released Sept. 1 via Blue South, debuts at No. 10 on the Blues Albums chart. Kight has been recording and releasing music since the 1980s and has collaborated with dozens of well-known acts, including Merle Haggard and B.B. King.

Ellis Hamilton

The musician, composer and recent Berklee College of Music graduate reaches Billboard’s charts with his song “My Heart to Yours.” The track debuts at No. 27 on Smooth Jazz Airplay (up 6% in plays). In addition to the alto saxophone, Hamilton plays the bass clarinet, drums, flute, piano, tenor and soprano saxophone and vibraphone.

Lefty SM & Neto Peña

The late Mexican rapper Lefty SM (real name Juan Carlos Sauceda) debuts on Billboard’s charts for the first time posthumously with his song “Por Mi México (Remix)” with Santa Fe Klan and featuring Dharius, C-Kan, MC Davo and Neto Peña. The song enters the Hot Latin Songs chart at No. 44 with 1.4 million U.S. streams Sept. 1-7. The track also earns rapper Peña, from Mexico, his first chart entry. He has also collaborated with acts including A.B. Quintanilla III and Gera MX. Lefty SM also debuts on the Regional Mexican Digital Song Sales chart with “Ahogandome En Alcohol” with Luis R Conriquez at No. 12.

Lefty SM was shot and killed Sept. 2 in Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico. He was 31 years old.

Yeruza

The late Puerto Rican drill artist reaches Billboard’s charts with his LP Coda. The set, posthumously released Aug. 31 on La Ruta del Dinero/SONAR, debuts at No. 41 on the Top Latin Albums chart with 3,000 equivalent album units earned. Yeruza (real name Julián Enrique Ramos Carbia) died in November 2020 during a shootout in Levittown, Toa Baja, Puerto Rico. He was 22. Coda includes collaborations with fellow Latin rappers Blessd, Eladio Carrión, Dei V, Bryant Meyers, Mambo Kingz and Omar Courtz, among others. Yeruza released one studio LP: La Ruta del Dinero, also posthumously in 2021.

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