LIL BOO THANG
by PAUL RUSSELL

Lil Boo Thang gave US singer Paul Russell his debut entry on the UK Official Chart. Released 18 August 2023 via RCA, Lil Boo Thang initially went viral from its preview on TikTok.

The feelgood funk track samples The Emotions' 1977 classic Best Of My Love which was originally written by Earth Wind & Fire's Maurice White and Al Mackay.

Lil Boo Thang first entered the UK Official Chart Top 100 on 8 September 2023, breaking into the Top 40 for the first time 24 November, after Christmas it climbed into the Top 20 for the first time at Number 20.

It was later followed up by Russell's second single Say Cheese. Speaking to Official Charts about the challenge of following up such a runaway success as Lil Boo Thang, Paul said: "I definitely felt the pressure a lot. Not just finding the next song and releasing it, but also figuring out the timing and all the pieces of me not seeming like a one-hit wonder. So much of it is things other than just releasing new music; creating a brand, figuring out who you are as an artist, collaborating with other artists...

At first, there was so much pressure that I felt from myself. I wanted to capitalise from the success. But over time, I've got more comfortable. I never even planned on releasing Lil Boo Thang, I hadn't even written the full song when I first leaked it. It all happened very organically and accidentally. When I start putting a lot of pressure on myself and planning everything, I remember the times that I've done that are the times where I haven't grown the most."