*British singer Ella Mai has reached the top of the mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop airplay chart as her single “Boo’d Up” advances 2-1. The tune climbs five percent in plays in the week ending July 15, according to Nielsen Music, per Billboard.com.
According to the news outlet, “Mai is the first woman billed in a lead role to top the chart in 2018. Before this week, Cardi B sported the last No. 1 for a woman in a lead role when “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)” ruled for nine frames in September to November 2017.”
The last UK artist to reach number one on the U.S. R&B chart was Lisa Stansfield, with “All Woman.”
“Boo’d” also holds at No. 1 on Adult R&B Songs and R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay for a second and fifth week, respectively.
Mai theorized to Vulture about the song’s slow burn in her home country: “I think it’s harder for R&B to break in England because the radio and labels don’t really know what to do with R&B music. It’s changing because it’s changing in America, but that doesn’t mean there’s nobody doing it, especially young females bringing it back.”
She told the BBC, “There’s a lot of young females doing R&B in England who are extremely talented and deserve more light on their stories.” She added: “It’s on the up here and I think we’ll get there eventually. I’m proud to be from England and doing so well in America so I can fly the flag.”
Meanwhile, Ella Mai is readying the release of her new single “Trip” and she’s promised an album will follow.
august 3rd. TRIP. new single ? album soon come! pic.twitter.com/kSjwthUP1Z
— Ella Mai (@ellamai) July 27, 2018
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