10 First-Timers on Billboard’s Charts This Week: Olivia Dean, Miles Miller, FendiDa Rappa & More
Written by djfrosty on July 19, 2023
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.
Here’s a look at 10 acts who appear on surveys for the first time on the July 22-dated charts.
Olivia Dean
The singer-songwriter, from the London borough of Haringey, England, scores her first Billboard chart appearance, thanks to her song “The Hardest Part,” featuring Leon Bridges. The song, released June 16 via EMI/Island/Republic Records, debuts at No. 39 on Adult Alternative Airplay (up 54% in plays July 7-13, according to Luminate). Dean released an original recording of the song, without Bridges, in 2020. That version appears on her debut studio album Messy, released June 30. Dean is currently touring, with dates scheduled through April 2024.
Miles Miller
The Kentucky native makes his first solo visit to Billboard’s charts with his debut LP, Solid Gold. The set, released July 7 on Easy Lovin Records/Thirty Tigers, debuts at No. 2 on the Bluegrass Albums chart. Although this is Miller’s first solo release, the 30-year-old has already forged a successful career in the Americana and country-folk space. In 2012, he was recruited by Nashville producer Dave Cobb to play drums for Sturgill Simpson, and has since played on each of Simpson’s six most recent studio albums, including 2017’s A Sailor’s Guide to Earth, which won the Grammy Award for best country album. Outside of touring with Simpson, Miller has drummed on Tyler Childers’ critically-acclaimed Purgatory and Country Squire albums and collaborated with bluegrass mainstay act Town Mountain. He has a string of tour dates lined up in the fall and winter in support of Solid Gold.
FendiDa Rappa
Chicago-based drill rapper FendiDa Rappa lands on Billboard’s charts for the first time with her new collaboration with Cardi B, “Point Me 2.” The song, released July 7 through Giant Music, debuts at No. 82 on the Hot 100 with 7.3 million U.S. streams and 4,000 downloads sold in its opening week. It also enters at No. 14 on Hot Rap Songs and No. 20 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. “Point Me 2” is a remix of Fendi’s 2022 breakout track “Point Me to the Slut’s.” Prior to that, she released her debut 15-track album Str8 From Da Raq in 2021.
Julie Byrne
The singer-songwriter, originally from Buffalo, N.Y., reaches Billboard’s charts for the first time with her new ambient folk album, The Greater Wings. The 10-track set, released July 7 on Ghostly International, debuts at No. 90 on the Top Current Album Sales chart with 1,000 downloads sold in its opening week. Byrne has released two additional albums: Not Even Happiness, in 2017, and Rooms With Walls and Windows, in 2014. Byrne has a string of U.S. and European tour dates lined up through the fall.
Yunchan Lim
The South Korean pianist, 19, arrives on Billboard’s charts for the first time with his new album Live From the Cliburn: Liszt: Transcendental Etudes. The set, released July 7 via Steinway & Sons, debuts at No. 5 on the Traditional Classical Albums chart. Lim made history last year by becoming the youngest person, at age 18, to win the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth, Texas. “I was so tired. I practiced until 4 a.m. every day,” he told The New York Times at the time. The new album features Lim’s performance from the semi-final round of the competition.
Panter Bélico
The Mexican singer appears on Billboard’s charts for the first time with his new song “La 701.” The track, released July 7 on Belikiki Music, begins at No. 11 on Regional Mexican Digital Song Sales. Bélico is a relative newcomer to the music scene, having released nine other songs so far, all this year.
Tatsuya Kitani
The Japanese singer-songwriter and composer scores his first Billboard chart hit with his song “Where Our Blue Is.” The track, released July 7 on Sony Music Labels/Legacy, debuts at No. 13 on World Digital Song Sales, as well as No. 31 on Billboard Global Excl. U.S. and No. 89 on the Billboard Global 200. The song serves as the opening theme to the second season of the Japanese show Jujutsu Kaisen. Kitani has released three studio albums: Seven Girls’ H(e)avens (2019), DEMAGOG (2020) and BIPOLAR (2022).
Shallipopi
The Nigerian artist hits Billboard’s charts for the first time with his song “Ex Convict.” Released July 7 on Plutomania/Dvpper Music, the track debuts at No. 26 on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart. Shallipopi released his debut single “Gra Gra” in 2021 and followed with five more releases before dropping his debut EP Planet Pluto July 10. He has also released two remixes of breakout song “Elon Musk,” with Fireboy DML and Zlatan.
Saltatio Mortis
The German medieval metal group notches its first U.S. chart appearance, thanks to its new collaboration with Peyton Parrish, “God of War.” The song, released July 7 on Parrish Entertainment, debuts at No. 3 on Hard Rock Digital Song Sales and No. 13 on Rock Digital Song Sales with 1,000 downloads sold in its opening week. The group has released 12 studio albums since its formation in 2000. Four of those albums have hit No. 1 on Billboard‘s Germany Albums chart: Das Schwarze Einmaleins (2013), Zirkus Zeitgeist (2015), Brot und Spiele (2018) and Für immer frei (2020). The act is currently on its Taugenichts Tour through the end of the year. Saltatio Mortis, which is Latin for “dance of death,” comprises Alea der Bescheidene, Falk Irmenfried von Hasen-Mümmelstein, El Silbador, Bruder Frank, Till Promill, Jean Mechant der Tambour and Luzi das L.
Blackbraid
The metal act arrives on Billboard’s charts with its sophomore studio album Blackbraid II. The set, which Blackbraid self-released July 7, debuts at No. 49 on Top Current Album Sales and No. 88 on Top Album Sales. The release also sparks the act’s entrance at No. 29 on the Emerging Artists chart. Blackbraid is the solo project of Jon Kreiger (also known by his Native American pseudonym Sgah’gahsowáh).