Hot 100 First-Timers: Afrobeats Artists Davido & Lojay Debut With Features On Chris Brown's 'Sensational'

Davido and Lojay both make their first appearances on the Billboard Hot 100, thanks to their signature titles on Chris Brown's “Sensational.”

Released on October 20 via CBE/RCA Records, the song debuts at No. 96 on the Hot 100 (dated February 3) with 15.7 million radio impressions (up 14%) and 2.6 million official streams in the US (up 3%) in the Jan. 19-25 tracking week, according to Luminate.

The song is the second single from Brown's 11th studio album 11:11, which was released in November. The set debuted at No. 1 on the Top R&B Albums and No. 9 on the Billboard 200.

“Sensational” has charted across multiple radio formats: It climbs 11-9 on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, 16-10 on Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and 16-14 on Rhythmic Airplay and debuts at No. 30 on Adult R&B Airplay. On the all-format Radio Songs chart, it's pushing 49-44.

Davido, from Osun State, Nigeria, has become one of the most prominent Afrobeats musicians of the last decade. He has released four studio LPs in his career: Omo Baba Olowo in 2012, A good moment (2019), A Better Era (2020) and Eternal (March 2023). His two most recent albums peaked at No. 170 and 37 on the Billboard 200, respectively, marking his first chart appearances.

Davido has also posted 25 songs on the Billboard US Afrobeats Songs chart. This is the fourth most of any artist dating back to the list's release in 2022, trailing only Burna Boy (44), Asake (34) and Wizkid (27). Of those 25 hits, three made the top 10: “Stand Strong,” featuring the Sunday Service Choir (No. 9 in 2022); “Unavailable,” featuring Musa Keys (No. 3, 2023). and “Over Dem” (No. 10, 2023).

On Advertising signOn the World Digital Song Sales chart, Davido has recorded 27 songs – 18 of which reached the top 10 – all since 2016. This is the second most among Afrobeats artists, after Wizkid (29).

“Sensational” is not the first collaboration between Davido and Brown. The pair additionally collaborated on “Blow My Mind” and “Lower Body,” both in 2019, “Shopping Spree,” also with Young Thug, in 2021 and “Nobody Has to Know” in 2022. Davido has recorded also featuring Nicki Minaj, Pop Smoke, Popcaan, Quavo, Rae Sremmurd and Summer Walker, among others.

This April, he is set to appear at Madison Square Garden on his extensive Timeless tour. He is also nominated for three Grammy Awards at the upcoming ceremony: Best World Music Performance (for “Feel”), Best African Music Performance (for “Unavailable”) and Best World Music album (for Eternal).

As for Lojay, fellow Nigerian artist scored his first Advertising sign chart appearance in 2022 with another Chris Brown collaboration: “Monalisa”, also with Sarz. The track peaked at No. 8 and No. 38 on Rhythmic Airplay.

Lojay has recorded two more Advertising sign US Afrobeats Songs hits: “Arizona” and “Moto” reached Nos. 44 and 48, respectively, in 2023. Additionally, as featured on French Montana and Swae Lee's “Wish U Well”, also featuring Jess Glynne , peaked at No. 37 on Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay in October.

Lojay released three EPs: Midnight Vibes in 2017, LV N ATTN with Sarz in 2021 and Gangster Romantic in March 2023.