for KING & COUNTRY
Robby Kleinfor King & Country, the duo of siblings Joel and Luke Smallbone, achieves its first No. 1 on Billboard‘s streaming-, airplay- and sales-powered Hot Christian Songs chart, as “Relate” travels to the top of the list dated Feb. 12.
The act’s first No. 1 is among 17 top 10s, dating to its first, “Busted Heart (Hold on to Me),” which reached No. 3 in February 2012. The pair has reached its No. 2 peak three times (all in 2018-20).
The tandem wrote “Relate” with Josh Kerr and Tayla Parx. It’s the first single from for King & Country’s album What Are We Waiting For, due March 11.
“When you start the process of writing a new album and it becomes time to release that first single, to be honest, it’s quite vulnerable,” the duo says in a joint statement to Billboard. “You hope and pray that it connects with people. You hope and pray that it’s impactful. So we’re very humbled to hear how many have been ‘relating’ to ‘Relate’!”
The song surged by 34% to 1.9 million U.S. streams in the week ending Feb. 3, aided by growing prominent placement on multiple playlists. Plus, a remix featuring Dutch DJ/producer R3hab was released Jan. 28. The track flies 21-9 on Christian Streaming Songs, awarding for King & Country its sixth top 10.
Additionally, “Relate” gained by 46% to 800 downloads sold and jumps 21-5 on Christian Digital Song Sales, becoming the duo’s 21st top 10.
On Christian Airplay, the song led for three weeks starting in December, becoming for King & Country’s 10th No. 1. It also marked the act’s record seventh leader in a row (encompassing songs promoted as proper radio singles). On the latest list, it ranks at No. 2 with 9.4 million impressions.
“Relate” also continues its crossover climb, rising 38-37 on Adult Pop Airplay in its second week on the ranking.
NEW ‘NAME’ AT No. 1 Singer-songwriter Katy Nichole, 21, from Mesa, Ariz., lands her first No. 1 on Christian Digital Song Sales as her debut single “In Jesus Name (God of Possible)” jumps to the top from No. 4 following its first full week of tracking.
The song, which Nichole wrote with Ethan Hulse and Jeff Pardo, sold 2,900 downloads in the Jan. 28-Feb. 3 tracking week, following its Jan. 26 release.
On Christian Airplay, the song enters at No. 26 with 1.4 million in audience. It bows on Hot Christian Songs at No. 30, also driven by 620,000 streams.
Nichole has built buzz on social media and platforms including TikTok, where she boasts over 300,000 followers.
NEWS
NBA YoungBoy has faced several hardships in recent years. Along with serving time behind bars, the rapper has also dealt with mental health challenges linked to the painful experiences in his life.
His music has often given listeners insight into that pain. During a recent appearance with Funny Marco on Open Thoughts, YoungBoy opened up even further about what he has been going through.
During the conversation, YoungBoy revealed that he no longer plans to live in the United States. He confirmed that he currently resides in South Korea. Although he did not share why he chose that country, his comments suggest he is ready to leave his life in America behind.
Funny Marco asked YoungBoy whether he might ever move back to the United States. The rapper responded with “never in life,” though he admitted that he could return for a visit someday.
Before relocating, YoungBoy lived on a ranch in Utah, where local residents had gradually started becoming more comfortable with him. His new home in South Korea now places him in a completely different cultural environment.
Adjusting to such a major change may not be easy, but YoungBoy has shown his strength and appears confident about where he wants to live. After experiencing so much pain in the United States, he seemingly feels more comfortable keeping his distance.
The move also comes as he deals with serious health concerns involving his heart. The condition remains an ongoing concern, and we hope the artist receives the support he needs as he continues facing this difficult medical situation.
