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"Strangers"
An upside-down shot of Kenya Grace with chains around her neck
Single by Kenya Grace
from the EP The After Taste
Released1 September 2023 (2023-09-01)
Recorded2022–2023
Genre
Length2:52
Label
Songwriter(s)Kenya Grace
Producer(s)Kenya Grace
Kenya Grace singles chronology
"Meteor"
(2023) 		"Strangers"
(2023) 		"Only in My Mind"
(2023)
Lyric video
"Strangers" on YouTube

"Strangers" is a song by South African musician Kenya Grace. It was officially released as her major-label debut single on 1 September 2023 through Major Recordings, a dance label owned by Warner Records.[3] It is the follow-up release to her prior viral single, "Meteor" (also in 2023).[3] "Strangers" was Grace's breakthrough single, peaking at #1 in Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, the United Kingdom and Ukraine, as well as topping both the Australian and American dance music charts. [4] The track peaked at #2 in Luxembourg, New Zealand, Russia, Slovakia and Switzerland, and was a top-five or top-ten hit in the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Singapore, Sweden and the United Arab Emirates.[5][6]

Background

Grace initially shared a snippet of the song on her Instagram Reels on 14 July 2023. Social media agency 10x Content ochestrated a viral marketing campaign to propel the song.[7] After she teased the song again on 27 July 2023, this time via TikTok, the song would go viral. The TikTok video has accumulated over 35 million views.[5]

A press release described the song as containing "vibey synths" and a "drum 'n' bass core", as well as a "propulsive backdrop", on top of which Grace "layers evocative vocals" with a "gentle delivery".[3]

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for "Strangers"
Chart (2023–2024) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[8] 2
Australia Dance (ARIA)[9] 1
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[10] 1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[11] 3
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[12] 1
Bulgaria (PROPHON)[13] 1
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[14] 17
Canada CHR/Top 40 (Billboard)[15] 15
CIS (TopHit)[16] 1
Croatia (HRT)[17] 1
Czech Republic (Rádio – Top 100)[18] 6
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[19] 3
Denmark (Tracklisten)[20] 8
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[21] 7
France (SNEP)[22] 10
Germany (Official German Charts)[23] 4
Global 200 (Billboard)[24] 5
Greece International (IFPI)[25] 2
Hungary (Single Top 40)[26] 10
Iceland (Plötutíðindi)[27] 8
India International Singles (IMI)[28] 4
Ireland (IRMA)[29] 3
Italy (FIMI)[30] 62
Japan Hot Overseas (Billboard Japan)[31] 10
Latvia (LAIPA)[32] 1
Latvia Airplay (LAIPA)[33] 3
Lithuania (AGATA)[34] 1
Luxembourg (Billboard)[35] 2
Malaysia International (RIM)[36] 20
MENA (IFPI)[37] 7
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[38] 3
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[39] 3
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[40] 2
Nigeria (TurnTable Top 100)[41] 61
North Africa (IFPI)[42] 17
Norway (VG-lista)[43] 5
Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[44] 3
Poland (Polish Streaming Top 100)[45] 12
Portugal (AFP)[46] 12
Russia Airplay (TopHit)[47] 2
Singapore (RIAS)[48] 6
Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[49] 2
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[50] 1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[51] 8
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[52] 2
UAE (IFPI)[53] 5
UK Singles (OCC)[54] 1
Ukraine Airplay (TopHit)[55] 1
US Billboard Hot 100[56] 42
US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[57] 33
US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard)[58] 1
US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[59] 9

Monthly charts

Monthly chart performance for "Strangers"
Chart (2023) Peak
position
CIS (TopHit)[60] 36
Paraguay (SGP)[61] 79
Russia Airplay (TopHit)[62] 5
Ukraine Airplay (TopHit)[63] 3

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for "Strangers"
Chart (2023) Position
Australia (ARIA)[64] 93
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[65] 29
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[66] 61
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[67] 75
CIS (TopHit)[68] 99
Germany (Official German Charts)[69] 43
Hungary (Single Top 40)[70] 32
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[71] 28
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[72] 44
Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[73] 73
Russia Airplay (TopHit)[74] 192
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[75] 37
UK Singles (OCC)[76] 52
US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard)[77] 23

Certifications

Certifications for "Strangers"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[78] 2× Platinum 140,000‡
Austria (IFPI Austria)[79] Platinum 30,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[80] Gold 40,000‡
France (SNEP)[81] Platinum 200,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[82] Gold 300,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[83] Gold 50,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[84] Platinum 30,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)[85] Platinum 50,000‡
Portugal (AFP)[86] Platinum 10,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[87] Gold 30,000‡
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[88] Gold 10,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[89] Platinum 600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[90] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  2. ^ Lewis, Isobel (14 October 2023). "How Kenya Grace made chart history as her self-produced single 'Strangers' reaches No 1". The Independent.
  3. ^ a b c Vigil, Dom (31 August 2023). "Kenya Grace Strangers". Prelude Press. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  4. ^ Onikoyi, Ayo (12 July 2023). "Plans to propel Kenya Grace's song "Strangers" to Global Billboard 100 Charts unveiled". Vanguard.
  5. ^ a b Zellner, Xander (26 September 2023). "Hot 100 First-Timers: Kenya Grace Arrives With Viral Hit 'Strangers'". Billboard. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  6. ^ Griffiths, George (29 September 2023). "Doja Cat's Paint the Town Red wins straight month at Number 1 despite competition from Kenya Grace's breakthrough hit Strangers". Official Charts. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  7. ^ Onikoyi, Ayo (12 July 2023). "Plans to propel Kenya Grace's song "Strangers" to Global Billboard 100 Charts unveiled". Vanguard.
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  90. ^ "American single certifications – Kenya Grace – Strangers". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strangers_(Kenya_Grace_song)

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