Addison Rae becomes 2024’s most unlikely breakout star

Against all odds, Addison Rae has become 2024’s most unlikely breakout star as “Diet Pepsi” nearly reaches the summit of my personal list. In 2021, she bid for pop stardom with “Obsessed”, a fumbled pop single that was panned by critics everywhere. While forced back to the drawing board, the TikTok-star her early material was leaked online, accidentally building a niche following. These songs were later released as AR, a small extended play that barely made any impact, yet, it featured Charli XCX on “2 Die 4”. Earlier this year, Addison Rae again worked with Charli XCX on “Von Dutch (Remix)” which received positive reviews and became a solid Top 20-hit on my personal list. With the help of Charli and Taylor Swift-songwriter Elvira Anderfjärd, Addison Rae released “Diet Pepsi” as her comeback to the music industry, introducing a more mature sound. Perhaps a surprise to many, it has become a viral hit online, finally helping break Addison Rae into the mainstream. This week, “Diet Pepsi” surges to second place, ushering in the era of Addison as a pop star. She is only held off the top by “Taste” by Sabrina Carpenter.

While Froukje and S10 their bestie duet “Ik Haat Hem Voor Jou” easily remain in my personal Top 5, two other Dutch-Belgian female singers combine forces on a danceable kiss-off anthem: meet MEAU and Pommelien Thijs with “Het Midden”. These stars previously collaborated on “Droom Het Donker Weg”, which was included on the latter’s debut album. Despite never receiving a proper single release, thus making it ineligible to chart, it was popular on streaming. “Het Midden” fulfills the girls’ promise for new music, again excellently marrying both artists’ sound. MEAU is best-known for her breakout Number 1 “Dat Heb Jij Gedaan”, which ranks as the biggest female Dutch solo hit of all time, recently having scored her second Top 10-hit with “Stukje Van Mij”. Meanwhile, Pommelien Thijs is Belgium its biggest star right now; no challenge. On my chart, she scored some big hits as well, especially last year’s platinum-certified “Erop of Eronder”. Together, MEAU and Pommelien Thijs earn the highest debut of the week at #17.

Only bested by one spot, Charli XCX and Ariana Grande debut at #18 with their highly teased remix of “Sympathy is a Knife”. It is accompanied by Charli’s highly anticipated remixed version of BRAT, released last week. The new, but essentially the same, album features guest appearances from Shygirl, Robyn, Billie Eilish, Troye Sivan, Addison Rae and many others. Although the internet speculated that Taylor Swift would feature on “Sympathy is a Knife”, it actually turned out to be the queen of “yuh”, Ariana Grande herself. This new electronic direction fits Grande perfectly, echoing back to the house-influenced “Yes, And?” from earlier this year. As a result, all of Charli XCX’s remix songs shoot back up the list, including a new Top 5-peak for her “Talk, Talk” with Troye Sivan.

While her duet with Maksim almost enters the Top 10, further down, Dutch singer Hannah Mae debuts with “Mes In M’n Rug” at #31. It is a Dutch reworking of SERA her “Stones For Diamonds”, written as a part of the popular tv-series De Beste Zangers in which popular Dutch singers cover each other’s work. Mabel debuts at #34 with “Stupid Dumb”, the newest single off her upcoming R&B-influenced project. It produced a mixed big of success so far, with “Vitamins” reaching the Top 10, while “Chat” missed the Top 40 alltogether. For “Stupid Dumb”, she enlists Ty Dolla $ign, last seen on the charts in 2019 on “Hot Girl Summer”. Rounding out the new entries is Tyla with “Push 2 Start” at #39, earning the South-African her fourth Top 40-hit to date.

As Hannah Mae debuts with her rendition of SERA’s “Stones for Diamonds”, I have decided to rank the best-scoring songs of De Beste Zangers so far. Ever since its conception in 2009, the tv-show has been one of the most successful and longest-running musical tv-programs on Dutch television. Each episode, well-known Dutch performers cover each other’s works, often resulting in big charting hits. It often also launches lesser known artists into the mainstream. On my personal chart, the biggest Beste Zangers-hit is Emma Heesters & Rolf Sanchez their duet “Pa Olvidarte”, which peaked at #1 in 2019. It launched Emma Heesters her career in my Top 40, reached double-platinum status and ranks as one of the biggest Dutch hits of all time. In second place, ranks Davina Michelle her breakout “Duurt Te Lang”, a cover of Glen Faria’s original. It was a massive hit in The Netherlands, whilst also reaching #1 on my own chart. In third place, ranks Miss Montreal her rendition of Stef Bos’s “Door De Wind”, which became Miss Montreal her first Top 40-hit in over seven years. Furthermore, Maan ranks fourth with “Jij Bent de Liefde”, which actually was Maan her Top 10-debut, only to be succeeded by many more. The 2020 series of Beste Zangers is the most successful one, yet, spawning four hits.

Newly certified

“Ik Haat Hem Voor Jou” – Froukje & S10 GOLD

“Taste” – Sabrina Carpenter PLATINUM

“Girl, So Confusing” – Charli XCX & Lorde PLATINUM

Biggest Beste Zangers hits of all time

1. “Pa Olvidarte” – Rolf Sanchez & Emma Heesters

2. “Duurt Te Lang” – Davina Michelle

3. “Door de Wind” – Miss Montreal

4. “Jij Bent de Liefde” – Maan

5. “Papa” – Suzan & Freek

6. “Zij Weet Het” – Tino Martin

7. “Clown” – OG3NE

8. “Ik Hou Van Mij” – Tabitha

9. “Hij Gelooft in Mij” – Do

10. “Afscheid” – Glennis Grace

11. “Wereld Zonder Jou” – Brace & Maan