10 First-Timers on Billboard’s Charts This Week: Corook, Olivia Barton, CHINCHILLA, Jasiel Nunez & More
Written by djfrosty on May 3, 2023
Billboard has more than 200 different weekly charts on its roster, 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.
Here’s a look at 10 acts who appear on surveys for the first time on the May 6-dated charts.
Corook & Olivia Barton
Both Nashville-based singer-songwriters and Berklee College of Music graduates make their first-ever Billboard chart appearances with their collaboration “If I Were a Fish” (billed as corook featuring Olivia Barton). The song, released April 21 via Atlantic Records after going viral on TikTok, debuts at No. 16 on Hot Alternative Songs, No. 19 on Hot Rock Songs and No. 22 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs with 1.9 million official U.S. streams and 3,000 downloads sold in the April 21-27 tracking week, according to Luminate. It also enters Alternative Digital Song Sales (No. 6), Rock Digital Song Sales (No. 7) and the all-genre Digital Song Sales chart (No. 36).
Plus, Corook debuts at No. 46 on Emerging Artists. Corook (real name Corinne Savage), who hails from Pittsburgh, released their debut EP achoo! in April 2022, also on Atlantic. They’ve previously opened in concert for JP Saxe, Jukebox the Ghost, K.Flay and X Ambassadors. Barton — from Orlando, Fla. — has self-released two LPs: I Could Have Smiled at You More in 2019, and This Is a Good Sign in 2022. She’s currently on the road supporting Lizzy McAlpine on her The End of the Movie tour.
CHINCHILLA
The British singer-songwriter starts on Billboard’s charts with her track “Little Girl Gone.” The song, which she released on her own CHINCHILLA label (distributed through Kartel Music Group) on April 21, soars in at No. 3 on Digital Song Sales with 11,000 downloads sold. She also becomes the first female soloist in the Emerging Artists chart’s six-year history to debut at No. 1. (This year, the only other acts to debut atop Emerging Artists are Daisy Jones & The Six and xikers.) CHINCHILLA (real name Daisy Matilda Bertenshaw) self-released her debut solo LP Awakening in 2020. In 2021, she released the EP Moon Maintenance for Dummies via Columbia Records (through Sony Music Entertainment Germany).
Jasiel Nuñez
The Guadalajara, Mexico, native earns his first chart placement thanks to his new collaboration with Peso Pluma, “Rosa Pastel.” The song, released April 20 via Peso Pluma’s Double P Records, debuts at No. 24 on Hot Latin Songs with 5.1 million U.S. streams. It also starts at No. 13 on Regional Mexican Digital Song Sales, No. 25 on Latin Digital Song Sales, No. 18 on Regional Mexican Streaming Songs and No. 25 on Latin Streaming Songs, as well as No. 163 on the Billboard Global 200. Nuñez also arrives at No. 42 on Emerging Artists. Nuñez was one of the first artists that Peso Pluma signed to Double P after launching the label, as CEO and head of A&R, in April.
Hypaton
The 24-year-old Italian producer reaches Billboard’s charts for the first time thanks to “Be My Lover (2023 Mix)” with David Guetta and featuring La Bouche. The song, which updates La Bouche’s dance-floor classic “Be My Lover,” debuts at No. 29 on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs with 497,000 streams, as well as No. 17 on Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales. Hypaton (real name Giorgio Ortenzi) and Guetta released the track April 21 on What a DJ/MCI/NITRON/Arista Records. Notably, the song earns Guetta his 77th hit on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs, extending his record for the most among all acts. La Bouche’s original “Be My Lover” recording reached No. 6 on the Hot 100 in 1996. HYPATON is slated to perform during Guetta’s run of F*** Me I’m Famous! shows, which begin in June at Ushuaïa Ibiza.
Cairo Knife Fight
The Christchurch, New Zealand-based band makes its first chart visit as “Churn” debuts at No. 39 on Mainstream Rock Airplay. The song, which the duo self-released Feb. 14, enters with a 23% gain in plays. The act comprises Nick Gaffaney (vocals, drums, keyboard bass) and George Pajon Jr. (guitar). Pajon has contributed to several other Billboard chart hits prior to “Churn.” He’s credited as a songwriter on four Hot 100-charting songs, all by the Black Eyed Peas: “Request Line” (No. 63, 2001), “Where Is the Love?” (No. 8, 2003), “Let’s Get It Started” (No. 21, 2004) and “Don’t Phunk With My Heart” (No. 3, 2005). (“Started” and “Phunk” won Grammy Awards for best rap performance, duo/group, in 2005 and 2006, respectively.) He also co-wrote Will.i.am’s promotional song for Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign, “Yes We Can.” Cairo Knife Fight has opened in concert for bands including Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age.
Anna Lapwood
The 27-year-old organist lands on Billboard’s charts for the first time, as her new EP Midnight Sessions at the Royal Albert Hall debuts at No. 9 on Classical Crossover Albums. Lapwood released the set April 21 via Music Productions Limited/Sony Classical/Sony Masterworks. She also serves as the director of music at Cambridge’s Pembroke College. She graduated from Magdalen College in Oxford, England, and became the first woman in the school’s 560-year history to be awarded the Organ Scholarship.
Caleb & John
The Nashville-based duo charts for the first time, as “Hallelujah Feeling” debuts at No. 50 on Christian Airplay (92,000 in radio audience). The pair released the song March 17 via Fair Trade Services — and subsequently celebrated hearing it on the radio for the first time. “The message we want to communicate is hope,” John recently said. “There is hope for you. If God can change somebody like me, He can change somebody like you.”
Myah Marie
Myah Marie notches her first chart appearance as a recording artist thanks to her featured credit on RuPaul’s “Adrenaline.” The song, released in 2014 on RuPaul’s Born Naked album via RuCo Records, debuts at No. 9 on Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales. Myah Marie has forged an accomplished career as a songwriter, as she’s written or co-written songs for acts including Aaron Carter, Lil Wayne and Britney Spears.
Bruce Katz Band
The group’s LP Connections opens at No. 15 on the Blues Albums chart. The ban — which is comprised of Bruce Katz (piano/organ), Aaron Lieberman (guitar/vocals) and Liviu Pop (drums) — released the set April 21 through Dancing Rooster Records. Katz is a blues veteran, having released his first album as a bandleader, Crescent Crawl, in 1992.
Eric Carr
The late, former drummer of rock legends Kiss (from 1980-91), achieves his first solo chart entry as Rockology debuts at No. 57 on Top Album Sales (4,000 sold). The set was issued as a Record Story Day vinyl and CDexclusive on April 22. Kiss charted 11 songs on the Hot 100 with Carr as a member (following 13 by the group in 1974-79), including the No. 8-peaking ballad “Forever” in 1990. Carr, who took up the persona of “The Fox” in Kiss, died from heart cancer in 1991.