The Boy Who Played the Harp breaks UK album file

Dave has develop into the primary British rap artist to debut three albums at primary within the UK’s official chart.

His newest, The Boy Who Played The Harp, knocked Taylor Swift’s Life of a Showgirl off the highest spot, and managed to fend off competitors from Lily Allen’s a lot talked-about West End Girl.

According to the Official UK Charts Company, it additionally turned the fastest-selling rap album on vinyl this century, with 15,500 copies bought since its launch final Friday.

His earlier two albums have additionally re-entered the highest 40, making him the primary British rap act to have three entries within the chart concurrently.

The Boy Who Played The Harp options robust spiritual themes, and its title is a reference to the biblical king David.

When Dave introduced the album’s launch he stated David’s “story and search for purpose” had guided him, including that he’d “grown so much” within the 4 years since his earlier album.

The album’s fourth monitor, Chapter 16, references the Book of Samuel and the second David turns into king.

Journalist Mimi Itseli, who writes as Mimi the Music Blogger, tells BBC Newsbeat it “pays homage to why his mum named him David”.

But she additionally believes it resonates at this time.

“Right now, in my opinion, he is the king of the scene,” she says.

Mimi hopes Dave’s openness about his beliefs will encourage followers to discover their very own religion.

“Somebody can look into the Bible and think they don’t have to be a certain type of way,” she says.

“The main part of it when it comes to religion is being right with God, rather than being self-righteous.”

Tola, 22, tells Newsbeat she has been a fan of Dave “forever” and agrees that the album’s perspective on religion is “really important”.

“It speaks to the place that rap has to tell stories,” she says.

Tola says she noticed commentary concerning the album on TikTok earlier than she’d even listened to it.

But she thinks Dave has resisted the temptation created by social media to create a a fast and catchy hook when he wrote it.

The tracks on the album vary from three minutes to seven minutes and 51 seconds lengthy.

“There’s a part of our brain that loves that quick dopamine hit, but this album is really trying to get us to listen,” Tola says.

“It isn’t so much about the melody or music, he’s telling us: ‘sit down, take those seven minutes.’

“Take a break, take heed to this recommendation.”

Fellow UK rapper Stormzy has also had three number one albums but 2019’s Heavy is the Head debuted at number two before climbing the chart.

Mimi says Dave’s three albums have tracked his development as an artist.

“Psychodrama was the album for him to point out who he’s,” she says.

“We’re All Alone In This Together was the album for him to point out the artist that he’s.

“This album’s showing the album for himself. It was just overhearing a conversation of his deep thoughts – even conversations with him and God.”

She describes every monitor on the album as “different versions of him”.

“His story is amazing because a lot of people can relate from being a boy in London, to even being a child of an immigrant, to being a black boy.

“People who’ve waited 4 years for this could take their time to hear.”

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