Entertainment

Stormzy and Chase & Status take on pop superstars for top spot in singles chart

The new collaboration by the rapper and electronic duo merges their worlds of grime and drum and bass.

Stormzy
Stormzy (Ian West/PA)

Stormzy and Chase & Status are set to take on pop superstars Chappell Roan, Charli XCX and Billie Eilish in a battle for number one in the UK singles chart.

Backbone, a new collaboration by the rapper and electronic duo – which merges their worlds of grime and drum and bass, has soared up the ranks to the top spot since its release on Thursday, according to the Official Chart Company’s first look.

The track has overtaken a new remix by Charli XCX and Eilish of the British singer’s hit Guess, which has dropped down to third after securing the number one spot on Friday.

This is the first time grime star Stormzy has collaborated with Chase & Status, who won the Brit Awards producer of the year gong earlier this year.

In the last year, the Brit award-winning rapper has released music with a number of artists including fellow Londoner Raye.

But his latest track is facing tough competition from Guess, which originally featured on the deluxe version of Charli XCX’s album Brat – which took social media by storm following its release in June.

The record has inspired the “Brat summer” trend, and the singer said its title describes “that girl, who is a little messy and likes to party and maybe says some dumb things sometimes”.

US star Roan’s catchy hit Good Luck, Babe! is also in the race for the UK singles top spot as the track has climbed one place to number two since Friday.

Roan, real name Kayleigh Amstuzt, has shot to fame in recent months following on from the release of her debut record, The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess.

Elsewhere, TikTok hit Stargazing by English singer Myles Smith has climbed one spot to number four and Eilish’s Birds Of A Feather has dropped back to fifth, according to the first look chart.