Kenya Grace got her big break with the viral hit “Strangers”, and its rise to the top of the charts was a joy to watch. “Strangers” became Grace’s first song to hit No. 1 in the UK, becoming only the second song entirely performed, written, and produced by a solo female artist to do so.
Grace ended Doja Cat’s five-week reign at the top of the UK Singles Chart with “Paint the Town Red”, and made history in the process. “Strangers” is currently the only song apart from Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” to hit No. 1 in the UK after being performed, written, and produced entirely solo by a female performer.
Grace was head over heels to see “Strangers” climb to No. 1 and she described this honor as the most surreal moment of her life.
“This is absolutely mental. Thank you so much for everyone who has streamed and supported and made videos with this song. This has literally changed my life, 100%. Thank you so much!” she said in a statement to Official Charts.
“Strangers” was originally released on September 1, and it received a huge boost after the teaser Grace shared on TikTok was viewed over 35 million times. Before hitting No. 1 in the UK, it reached the top 10 in several other countries, including Australia, France, and Germany.
