Covers&Collabs (475 words)

            When artists choose to do collaborations with other artists that aren’t in their own genre, I can’t even lie, I start questioning their abilities. Going out of a certain genre is something most artists can’t achieve or at least, in my opinion. If you think about music history or at least in the past couple of years I’ve listened to different genre and found that most collaborations, also known as collabs are created between artists of the same genre especially in hip hop, But some artists and groups have changed my mind lately especially when it comes to covers of songs.

 

            Lissie did a cover of the song “Pursuit of Happiness” by Kid Cudi, my absolute favorite artist. Now, since I’m usually bias, I don’t really enjoy most people who do covers of rap music, especially Kid Cudi, considering how critical I am, because he IS my favorite artist and I listen to his music almost every day of my life.

 

            The band, Young the Giant did a cover a couple years ago I just found a couple months ago of the Remix to ignition. Young the Giant is a mainly acoustic band group of just boys, and the R. Kelly remix, if you haven’t heard it, is a very hip hop/ pop sound. It’s a fast beat but Young the Giant did a seriously wonderful job of slowing it down creating an amazing sound, even live. Another thing I have to add is how wonderful the band plays out in the open, they have multiple YouTube videos that there performing in places like the top of mountains or in an empty room of an apartment, it’s amazing.

           

The other day on 8tracks, I came across the band Bastille’s cover of “Scrub” by the 90’s band, TLC. The original song is a pop song of 3 girls singing about how they never would date a bum guy who can’t take care of themselves or the girls. Bastille is a mainly acoustic and folk sounding band who changed the tone of this once upbeat in your face song, to a settle yet strong melody. I love it.

 

My last and favorite cover that completely changed my mind was Melanie Martinez’s cover of Toxic by Britney Spears. When I use to listen to the Britney version, which is a poppy, electronic sound I had no idea what the meaning of the song even was, but Melanie, on her own without even a record label or anyone helping her, completely changed the beat and melody of the song while still keeping the same lyrics transformed the song. The song went from fast to a folky, slow jazz sound. Sounds crazy right? I know. The cover is now one of my favorites. I enjoy it so much that I’ve linked the 2 different versions below.

 

Britney:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOZuxwVk7TU

  

Melanie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4CI6HUx7Qc