Official Chart Flashback 2014: Becky Hill arrives in style at Number 1 with Gecko (Overdrive)
30.06.2022 - 11:07
/ officialcharts.com
Everyone has to start somewhere, and a UK Number 1 single isn't a bad place to kick off a solo career.
Such was the case for Becky Hill, who (quite literally) exploded on to the scene as the lead vocalist on Oliver Helden's frantic dance cut Gecko (Overdrive) which debuted at Number 1 on the Official Singles Chart 8 years ago (!) this week.
Gecko (Overdrive) originally started life as a solo track for Dutch DJ Heldens, released in early 2014, before it was re-produced, trimmed down and had vocals added by Becky, who co-wrote the song's hook with MNEK.
It was an important release for Becky - her first as a co-lead artist, and the first since her tenure as a contestant on the first series of The Voice UK (where she reached the semi-finals). The Voice was an odd prospect for a seemingly star-making programme, and had yet to prove that its contestants could compete with the crop of talent The X Factor had by then been churning out for little less than a decade.
But it's all about the first impression - and what a first impression Becky makes here. Her voice - so recogniseable now, of course as a radio staple - is deep, rough and un-tamed as she scales the highs of Helden's at times almost animalistic beat.
Gecko (Overdrive) proved to be a hit upon release and then some. It debuted at Number 1 on the Official Singles Chart with 79,000 chart units and would stay on top for one week. It also holds the distinction of being the last Number 1 single in UK chart history to be calculated on sales alone. The next week, streaming data would be included for the first time, and see Ariana Grande debut at Number 1 with Problem. Becky also remains the first and only contestant of The Voice to reach Number 1 in the UK.
Overall, Gecko
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