Hot 100 First-Timers: Gigi Perez Debuts Queer Love Ballad 'Sailor Song'

Gigi Perez is officially a Billboard Hot 100 artist thanks to her breakthrough viral hit, “Sailor Song.”

The track, which Perez self-released on July 26, debuts at No. 98 on the Aug. 31-dated chart from its streaming total: 5.6 million official US clicks (up 20%) on 16- August 22, according to Luminate. It also rises 10-9 on Hot Alternative Songs, 12-9 on Hot Rock Songs and 16-13 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs.

Perez first started teasing the song on TikTok in April, helping build hype leading up to its official release. THE original clip shared on TikTok has since been recorded over 40,000 clips on the platform, while the official audio has been used over 75,000. Fans liken her sound to alt-folk favorites like Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes and Hozier.

While many have raved about the song's lyrics detailing queer love and longing, Perez has received backlash from some religious TikTokers due to his line, “I don't believe in God / But I believe you're my savior.” Responding to users who asked her to remove the line, she shared a TikTok last week, writing in the caption, “I never had to think about whether or not I was going to change my song because it was never a topic of discussion… My song is not a democracy and that goes for every artist [sic] work.”

The New Jersey-born, Florida-raised singer-songwriter first achieved a taste of stardom in 2021 with her song “Sometimes (Backwood),” which has since amassed 57.9 million official streams in the US. She released her eight-track debut EP, How to catch a falling knifein 2023 (via Mogul Vision/Interscope Records) and two more songs this year: “Normalcy,” in March, and “Please Be Rude,” in May.