The key facts

  • Jamie Miller became the first Welsh artist to top the UK singles chart in 15 years — since Sian Evans featured on DJ Fresh's track 'Louder'
  • He is the first solo male Welsh artist to reach number one in 41 years, since Shakin' Stevens (1985)
  • The singer is preparing a world tour and plans concerts in Wales, including Cardiff

A viral hit and a historic number one

29-year-old singer Jamie Miller, originally from the Pontprennau area of Cardiff, has topped the official UK singles chart with the song Babydoll, BBC Wales reports. He is the first Welsh artist to reach the top of the chart in 15 years — since Sian Evans featured on DJ Fresh's track 'Louder' — and the first solo male artist from Wales in 41 years, since Shakin' Stevens' 1985 Christmas hit 'Merry Christmas Everyone'.

The road to success

The song gained popularity through TikTok, where actress Jennifer Love Hewitt posted videos featuring the track. Miller himself attributes the success partly to the 'sincerity' of the sound: before this, he had not worked on music for two years, having gone through a difficult period in his personal life. In his words, 'the world is in a bit of a dark place right now', and perhaps that is exactly why the song 'brings people together'. He admitted that 'nothing feels normal' and that he had dreamed of this all his life — last year he even gave up music for a while.

What has changed for the artist

Miller said that as recently as last Christmas he was sitting on the sofa with his parents watching 'Gavin and Stacey', and now Ruth Jones and James Corden comment on his posts. His father, according to the singer, still works as an Uber driver in Cardiff and 'finds it all a bit crazy'. At the weekend, Miller, together with actor Antonio Cipriano, performed Babydoll on the show Strictly Come Dancing, where he had an emotional reunion with TV presenter Emma Willis — his mentor during the final of The Voice UK in 2017. He now plans a world tour and promises concerts in Wales: 'I will definitely come back to Cardiff'.

Jamie Miller in a red suit wearing sunglasses. He is smiling and holding an award for the UK number one single.Image source, Jamie Miller
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Jamie Miller is the first Welshman to top the singles chart in 15 years

Jamie Miller wearing a suit on stage holding a microphone.Image source, Jamie Miller
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The singer is now preparing to go on a world tour

Two men stood next to each other. One is pointing at the camera wearing a suit jacket, open buttoned shirt and blue tinted glasses. The other wears a leather jacket, shirt, tie and black tinted glasses.Image source, Jamie Miller
Image caption,

Jamie Miller and Antonio Cipriano performed Babydoll together on Strictly Come Dancing

Jamie Miller smiling at the camera.Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Jamie Miller got to the final of The Voice UK when he was a teenager

Jamie Miller, Antonio Cipriano sat behind the Strictly judges desk with Jamie's parents.Image source, Jamie Miller
Image caption,

Jamie Miller, seen with his parents, and Antonio Cipriano performed Babydoll together on Strictly Come Dancing

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