Pommelien Thijs stays ahead at Number 1 for a third week

Following a well-received show at Paaspop Festival last weekend, Belgium’s queen of pop Pommelien Thijs remains at the top of my chart with “Atlas”. Pommelien Thijs first broke through in 2019 as the lead on the musical tv-series #LikeMe which was very popular amongst Belgian youths. She then collaborated with Dutch singer Jaap Reesema on “Nu Wij Niet Meer Praten” in 2020, which became the Christmas Number 1 on my personal chart. Following numerous single releases, her musical breakout came with her debut album Per Ongeluk which became an uncomparable success. It spawned the platinum-certified “Erop of Eronder” and kickstarted Pommelien Thijs her string of Top 40-hits. Just this year, she earned her second Number 1-single with “Het Midden” featuring Dutch singer-songwriter MEAU. Meanwhile, she also garnered critical acclaim on Netflix’s Knokke Off. The newest “Atlas” now claims a third week at Number 1. Utrecht-based sorority U.V.S.V. / N.V.V.S.U. seek to claim the top position from Pommelien Thijs, though, as their viral song “Lotje” moves up to second place. It was originally released a year ago by the female Utrecht-based student sorority to celebrate its 125^th anniversary, but it went viral on TikTok last month and his since then become a big national hit single.

Moving up a whopping nine places, Ed Sheeran returns to the Top 10 with “Azizam” at #7. Though he has been chart mainstay since his debut “The A Team” in 2011, he has become somewhat scrutinized on the internet nowadays, with many criticizing his predictability and overexposure on the radio. It is somewhat unfair, as it cannot be overstated how successful Sheeran was in the 2010s. His sophomore album X spawned seven big Top 40-hits, including the multi-platinum “Thinking Out Loud”. His third album ÷ fared even better, giving us the career highlights “Shape of You” and “Castle on the Hill”. It all started to sour at the turn of the decade – with his last solo Top 10-song being 2021’s “Bad Habits”. We could be at the start of an Ed Sheeran-revival of some sorts with the fresh “Azizam”. Several Iranian and Indian artists took part in the recording of the song, making it a rather exceptional track in Sheeran his somewhat bland discography. “Azizam” earns Ed Sheeran his eighteenth Top 10-single to date, and his first since 2022’s duet “Bam, Bam” with Camila Cabello.

Now nearly ten years ago, Dutch singer Emma Heesters started posting music covers on YouTube. For some reason, they became really popular in Asia, and she received more than 5 million subscribers. In 2019, Heesters participated on the Dutch hit musical tv-programme Beste Zangers, where she duetted with Rolf Sanchez on “Pa Olvidarte”. It became a surprise smash hit, peaking at Number 1 on my list and going double-platinum. More hit singles quickly followed – including the summer-infused “Waar Ga Je Heen” and the Ronnie Flex cross-over “Alles Wat Ik Mis”. Last year was shaping up to become another successful year for the 29-year-old, until she was diagnosed with cervical cancer and forced to stop working. Since then, she has undergone multiple treatments and hopes to go into remission soon. Inspired by those trials and hardships, Heesters wrote her own fight song “Alles Wordt Beter”, which deservedly becomes the highest new entry at #8. It earns Emma Heesters her fourth Top 10-single and her highest debut of all time. We wish her the best.

Last weekend at Coachella Music Festival in Palm Springs, Venezuelan DJ Arca was joined on stage by Addison Rae to perform their Top 10-remix “Aquamarine”. During the set, the young star revealed that she is set to release her debut record soon – receiving an overwhelmingly positive response from the festivalgoers. It is hard to imagine that, nearly four years ago, her debut “Obsessed” was panned by the internet, with critics dismissing her as nothing more than a TikTok-star who found a new hobby. It drove Addison Rae to rethink her entire career roll-out, teaming up with AG Cook and Charli XCX to find a new sound. It resulted in the “Von Dutch (remix)” and the Number 1-hit “Diet Pepsi”. Follow-up songs proved similarly successful and now Rae is set to release one of the most anticipated albums of the year. It just proves how well she understands her core audience – namely the gays and girls. Rae further teases the album with “Headphones On”, the supposed fourth single. It is inspired by Björk and filmed in Reykjavík, Iceland. It starts off at #16 this week.

Further down, American singer-songwriter Ravyn Lenae makes her chart debut with “Love Me Not” at #27. It went viral on TikTok and has since then charted on the Billboard Hot 100. The young talent is an up-and-coming star and has collaborated with the likes of Steve Lacy and supported SZA on her CTRL Tour across the United States. 20-year-old Sombr – real name Shane Boose – also manages to earn his first Top 40-entry thanks to TikTok with the moody “Undressed” at #30. It has been shooting up the UK Singles Charts as of late and has also broken the Billboard Hot 100 alongside his other new single “Back to Friends”. It has been compared to Declan McKenna’s Top 10-hit “Brazil”. Rounding out all the new entries is Dutch team-up “Ik Zing” by newcomer Zoë Livay and popular rapper-turned-singer Snelle at #35. Zoë Livay auditioned for the Voice of Holland in 2019 and has released two EPs. One of her songs was also featured in a commercial for the Dutch railroads. On her breakthrough “Ik Zing”, she is joined by Snelle, who is best known for his myriad of hit singles, including the Number 1-smash “Blijven Slapen”.

Newly certified

“Arm’s Length” – Sam Fender GOLD

“Beetje Van Mij” – Antoon PLATINUM