Kenya Grace
Grace in 2023
Background information
Birth nameKenya Grace Johnson
BornSouth Africa
Genreselectropop
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
Years active2019–present
Labels

Kenya Grace Johnson is a South African-born British singer, songwriter, and record producer. She is best known for her 2023 single "Strangers", which reached number-one in the UK Singles Chart. She is signed with Warner Records.

Life and career

Early life

Kenya Grace Johnson[1] was born in South Africa and grew up in Southampton. She used to play hockey for Hampshire. She started writing when she was 10 years old, and started singing in primary school after being gifted a second-hand Yamaha keyboard.[2] She first developed an interest in musical theatre, before growing up and developing an interest in dance music, dubstep first.[3]: 1:09:50  She attended Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford, first reading history and English literature, but switching to music after deciding to become a musician,[2] and graduated in September 2019 with a degree in songwriting and creative artistry.[4] She has credited the university with curing her stage fright.[5] In 2019, she released "Obsessed", her first release, and then "Tell Me Why",[2] which she wrote while drunk and having just fought with someone.[6] Later that year, she and Willow Kayne made the Top 21 in ISawItFirst,[7] a nationwide search in collaboration with Capital Xtra intended to find new women musicians, winning a music video for "Tell Me Why".[4] She then released "Talk",[2] which she wrote in her parents' bedroom during the COVID-19 lockdown in the United Kingdom after getting out of a toxic relationship;[5] she later moved to North London,[8] her move having been delayed by the pandemic.[5] In 2022, she released "Oranges", the 3Strange collaboration "Someone Else", and the Homebodi collaboration "Venus", and in February and May 2023, she released "Afterparty Lover" and "Meteor".[9]

2023–present: "Strangers"

In late July 2023, she started to promote "Strangers",[10] a drum and bass song she had written and produced[11] in her bedroom, with the intention of making a euphoric track,[3]: 1:08:08  on her TikTok account.[10] This clip was viewed over 11,000,000 times, with a subsequent video being viewed over 38,000,000 times;[12] when released on 1 September 2023 on FFRR Records,[13] the song saw further success on the platform, and by 26 September 2023 had seen use in over 570,000 videos.[9] She promoted the song with a further eight videos promoting the track, all of which were viewed more than 1,000,000 times, and which typically depicted her singing the track on her electronic drum pads;[10] the song also went viral on Instagram Reels.[13] A week after release, the song entered the UK Singles Chart, eventually peaking at No. 1;[11] upon entry, the Official Charts Company attributed her success to the commercial renaissance of drum and bass and the dominance of female artists (in its first week on the charts, the top three were Doja Cat, Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo).[13] On 15 September 2023, she released a "slower and sadder" remix of the song,[9] and three weeks after that, she released a further single, "Only in My Mind", having teased the track on social media.[14] On 13 October, the song peaked at No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart, making her the second British female artist to reach No. 1 with a track performed, written and produced entirely solo after Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill".[12]

In December 2023, a day after the release of her single, "Paris", she revealed on Instagram that she is currently working on her debut EP which is set to be released in 2024.[15]

Artistry and personal life

Johnson has stated that her biggest inspiration is Banks; she also takes inspiration from Flume and Nao[8] She first writes her tracks instrumental first.[3]: 1:08:08  Upon entrance of the UK Singles Chart, the Official Charts Company described her voice as a combination of PinkPantheress, Charli XCX, and Piri.[13]

Discography

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions, certifications, and album name
Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
UK
[16]		 AUS
[17]		 AUT
[18]		 GER
[19]		 NLD
[20]		 NZ
[21]		 SWE
[22]		 SWI
[23]		 US
[24]		 WW
[25]
"Obsessed"[2] 2019 —————————— Non-album singles
"Tell Me Why"[2] ——————————
"Talk"[2] 2020 ——————————
"Venus"
(with Homebodi)[26]		 2022 ——————————
"Someone Else"
(with 3Strange)[9]		 ——————————
"Oranges"[27] ——————————
"Afterparty Lover"[28] 2023 ——————————
"Meteor"
(with Solomon)[29]		 ——————————
"Strangers" 12143282425 TBA
"Only in My Mind"[14] ——————[upper-alpha 1]————
"Paris"[36] ——————[upper-alpha 2]————
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Awards and nominations

AwardYearNominated WorkAwardResultRef.
BBC Sound of...2023HerselfSound of 2024Nominated[38]

Notes

  1. ↑ "Only in My Mind" did not enter the NZ Top 40 Singles Chart, but peaked at number 15 on the NZ Hot Singles Chart.[35]
  2. ↑ "Paris" did not enter the NZ Top 40 Singles Chart, but peaked at number 27 on the NZ Hot Singles Chart.[37]

References

  1. ↑ Venus (Radio Edit) by Homebodi & Kenya Grace, 12 May 2022, retrieved 29 September 2023
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Kenya Grace". projext Liquid. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 "BBC Radio 1 – Radio 1's Future Artists with Jack Saunders, Kenya Grace". BBC. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  4. 1 2 "ACM Alumni Reach Final of Nationwide Music Competition Hosted by Top Fashion Brand". ACM. 18 December 2019. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 "Introducing: Kenya Grace". Wordplay. 31 July 2020. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  6. ↑ "Kenya Grace :: Nxtstyle's The Next 100: 2020 New Music Guide". Nxtstyle. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  7. ↑ "First Look – I Saw It First". 27 September 2021. Archived from the original on 27 September 2021. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  8. 1 2 "Le'Afrinique #LAChats With Vans Musicians Wanted Finalist Kenya Grace". Le'Afrinique. 8 October 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Zellner, Xander (26 September 2023). "Hot 100 First-Timers: Kenya Grace Arrives With Viral Hit 'Strangers'". Billboard. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  10. 1 2 3 "Kenya Grace: No Longer a Stranger | Vulkan Magazine". vulkanmagazine.com. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  11. 1 2 "Strangers". The Official Charts Company. 14 September 2023. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  12. 1 2 "How Kenya Grace made chart history as self-produced single 'Strangers' reaches No 1". The Independent. 14 October 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  13. 1 2 3 4 "Who is Kenya Grace? The dance artist who debuted Top 20 with Strangers". Official Charts. 11 September 2023. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  14. 1 2 "New Releases: Kenya Grace, Joel Corry, Roger Waters and more". Official Charts. 5 October 2023. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  15. ↑ "Out now on all platforms <3". Instagram.
  16. ↑ "Kenya Grace | Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  17. ↑ "ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. 2 October 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  18. ↑ "Kenya Grace – Strangers". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  19. ↑ "Discographie von Kenya Grace". offiziellecharts.de (in German). Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  20. ↑ "Kenya Grace – Strangers". dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  21. ↑ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 25 September 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  22. ↑ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 41". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  23. ↑ "Kenya Grace – Strangers". hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  24. ↑ "Billboard Hot 100: Week of January 13, 2024". Billboard. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  25. ↑ "Billboard Global 200: Week of October 7, 2023". Billboard. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  26. ↑ "Venus - Single by Homebodi, Kenya Grace". Apple Music. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  27. ↑ "Oranges - Single by Kenya Grace". Apple Music. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  28. ↑ "Afterparty Lover (Sped Up Edit) - Single by Kenya Grace". Apple Music. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  29. ↑ "Meteor (Edit) - Single by Kenya Grace, Solomon". Apple Music. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  30. ↑ "British certifications – Kenya Grace". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 1 December 2023. Type Kenya Grace in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  31. ↑ "ARIA Top 50 Singles for week of 13 November 2023". Australian Recording Industry Association. 13 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  32. ↑ "Austrian certifications – Kenya Grace" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  33. ↑ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Kenya Grace)". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  34. ↑ "New Zealand single certifications – Kenya Grace – Strangers". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  35. ↑ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 16 October 2023. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  36. ↑ "Paris - Single by Kenya Grace". Apple Music. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  37. ↑ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 11 December 2023. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  38. ↑ Savage, Mark (4 December 2023). "BBC Sound of 2024: Tyla, Last Dinner Party and Kenya Grace tipped for success". Retrieved 15 January 2024.
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