From All-American baseball player to YouTube sensation to Billboard charter, Mike Stud is making immediate waves online after the release of his latest album “Closer” earlier this afternoon.
Stud’s song “Closer” debuted at No. 1 on the Real-Time chart around 3 pm ET today (July 1) after Pandora announced its premiere on Twitter at 2:42 pm ET. The song knocked band 5 Seconds of Summer’s “Don’t Stop” to No. 2 on the Trending 140 chart, signaling an immediate fan craze. (As of publishing time, the song sits at no. 4).
Enjoy @Mike_Stud‘s new album “Closer” on #PandoraPremieres! Listen now: http://t.co/nZ59yuv78U pic.twitter.com/gQIPN6hLkH
— Pandora (@pandora_radio) July 1, 2014
Stud, who originally made his name as a baseball super athlete, receiving a full scholarship to Duke University, began his elusive rap career while he was recovering from a sports injury. He recorded “College Humor” for his teammates on the Duke Baseball team.
Trending on Billboard
After its release, the video turned viral, and Stud’s music career swiftly took over his athletic one. Currently, Stud has racked up over 35 million views on YouTube. His first mixtape “A Toast to Tommy”, which debuted last October, reached No. 3 and No. 2 on the worldwide and US iTunes Hop-Hop album charts. His next mixtape, “Relief,” reached a high point of No. 55 on the Billboard 200 in June 2013.
The video for the album’s single “Closer,” which was produced by Louis Bell, was released on YouTube on June 25. The song references Stud’s journey from injured athlete to artist. The melody, similar to the likes of Drake, allows for Stud to take the listener on a smooth but impactful lyrical journey.
Stud begins his tour “The #StudSummer Tour” on July 10 and will be ending in New York’s Best Buy theatre on Sept 12.