Zoë Tauran earns her first Number 1 with “Monster”

With a massive increase in streaming figures, Dutch-Moluccan singer Zoë Tauran moves up to Number 1 with the viral hit “Monster”. She broke through last year with streaming hits such as “Solo” and peaked inside the Top 10 with “Adrenaline” alongside Kris Kross Amsterdam. Success continued this year with her eponymous debut album. This week – boosted by a big marketing campaign on TikTok – the young talent earns her first Number 1-hit to date with “Monster”. She becomes the eighth Dutch female soloist to earn a Number 1-hit on her own. The last to do so was MEAU in 2021 with “Dat Heb Jij Gedaan”. Other Dutch female solo artists to have accomplished this feat include EliZe, Anouk, Maan and Davina Michelle. “Monster” is also the third Dutch single to reach Number 1 this year. Zoë Tauran dethrones Tate McRae, who spent six consecutive weeks leading the list with “Greedy”, the longest-running chart-topper of 2023 so far.

Troye Sivan has had an incredible year so far. With the release of his third studio album Something To Give Each Other, the young Aussie pop icon has reached new chart heights. Its lead single “Rush” has reached a peak at #4, while the third single “One of Your Girls” is still comfortably charting inside the Top 5. Its second single “Got Me Started” peaks at #10 this week, earning Troye his third consecutive Top 10-hit. It heavily samples "Shooting Stars" by Australian electronic duo Bag Raiders. The sample is probably best-known for being an internet meme, but it works surprisingly well on a UK garage beat.  

With his trademark slow flow, Dutch rapper Kevin has quickly become one of the Netherlands its most acclaimed and popular rappers following his 2020 hit album Animal Stories. His collaboration “Als Ik Je Niet Zie” with Yade Lauren peaked at #10 and was a massive hit on streaming services. Kevin now earns the highest debut of the week with “De Leven” at #16. The song was originally released in 2011 by influential rapper Sef. Although the single did not become a Top 40-hit, it became a cult classic and a favourite amongst the hip hop community. Kevin now reworks “De Leven” with S10, best known for her Eurovision entry “De Diepte”. The cross-over cover becomes both Kevin and S10 their seventh Top 40-entry on my personal list.

Olivia Rodrigo debuts at #21 with “Can’t Catch Me Now”, released to support the new Hunger Games film. The previous film’s soundtracks spawned the Top 40-hits “Atlas” by Coldplay and “The Hanging Tree” by Jennifer Lawrence as lead character Katniss Everdeen. Further down, Kylie Minogue debuts with “Hold On to Now”, the third single from her latest album Tension. Both previous singles peaked within the Top 10, with “Padam, Padam” becoming her first Number 1 in over ten years. Rounding out the new debuts is Snelle with “Hoodiedate” at #38. It marks the rapper-turned-singer his lowest debut to date.

To celebrate Zoë Tauran reaching Number 1 with “Monster” this week, I’ve decided to rank the biggest Dutch female solo hits of all time. Coming out on top, is MEAU with her breakout “Dat Heb Jij Gedaan” with over 90,000 points. It became the Official Christmas Number 1 of 2021 and is currently certified double-platinum. In second place is Noughties-pop icon Esmée Denters with the international smash hit “Outta Here”. In third place is Maan with her biggest solo release “Zo Kan Het Dus Ook” – overall, she is the highest-scoring Dutch female artist of all time. Three songs by country-pop singer Ilse DeLange rank inside the Top 10, with her Number 1 “So Incredible” in sixth. The first ever Dutch female soloist to reach Number 1 was EliZe with her dance-pop smash “Automatic” in 2005.

Biggest Dutch female solo hits of all time

1. “Dat Heb Jij Gedaan” – MEAU [#1 x 4 weeks] (20 weeks)
2. “Outta Here” – Esmée Denters [#1 x 2 weeks] (24 weeks)
3. “Zo Kan Het Dus Ook” – Maan [#1 x 3 weeks] (20 weeks)
4. “Automatic” – EliZe [#1 x 2 weeks] (20 weeks)
5. “A Night Like This” – Caro Emerald [#2] (24 weeks)
6. “Duurt Te Lang” – Davina Michelle [#1 x 2 weeks] (19 weeks)
7. “So Incredible” – Ilse DeLange [#1 x 2 weeks] (19 weeks)
8. “The Great Escape” – Ilse DeLange [#3] (22 weeks)
9. “Miracle” – Ilse DeLange [#2] (19 weeks)
10. “Nobody’s Wife” – Anouk [#2] (20 weeks)