Top 10 Celeb Reactions to Covers of Their Own Songs
#10: Pink
Davina Michelle Covers “What About Us” Not many people could sing in a way that rivals Pink. Just look at her acrobatic performance of “Try” at the 2014 Grammys! But Dutch singer and avid fan Davina Michelle took a shot at “What About Us”, and her cover garnered a fair share of positive internet responses. Perhaps the best came from Miss Alecia Moore herself, whose super adorbs facial expression says it all. She’s hilariously astounded, with a drab “it was fine” clearly meaning that it’s actually so much more. Imagine hearing one of your idols exclaiming that you sound even better than they could! Davina Michelle got to, and she was overwhelmed with gratitude. Pink later went on to hire Michelle as an opening act, and we’re not surprised!
#9: Boy George
Top 10 Celeb Reactions to Glee Covers of Their Songs
Vendulka Wichta Covers “Karma Chameleon” It takes some serious tenutos to audition for a competition like “The Voice”, and that’s before doing it with one of the judge’s songs. But bravery yields great rewards, as Vendulka Wichta learned when she reimagined “Karma Chameleon” with singer-songwriter Boy George on the panel. The Aussie morphed Culture Club’s hit song into a soulful exercise in musical key-changing. She made the tune completely her own, to the point that even George himself didn’t recognize it at first! He loved it so much that he asked her for a mini encore and joined her onstage. The coaches squabbled, but Vendulka decided that karma wanted her on George’s team. Each seemed equally flattered and bashfully charmed to see their artistic creations appreciated.
#8: Alicia Keys
Top 5 Things You Didn't Know About Alicia Vikander
Puma Curry Covers “If I Ain’t Got You” Anyone would be lucky to get encouragement from Alicia Keys. But talent runs in the family for Puma Curry, who posted a popular TikTok featuring her rendition of “If I Ain’t Got You”. Curry is the gifted child of artists Erykah Badu and The D.O.C.. This next-gen star isn’t riding any coattails, though, as she proudly pours her heart into these vocals. Keys dueted the short TikTok, as her head swiveled in rhythmic celebration of the sound. Between her cheers of “sing!” and “yes!”, the R&B star continuously furrows her brow in constant amazement of Curry’s belting chops. It’s just under forty euphoric social media seconds of pure, you go girl energy.
#7: Kelly Clarkson
Stephanie Skipper Covers “Piece by Piece” Spoiler alert: a few of these reactions involve tears. During the blind auditions for season 14 of “The Voice”, Stephanie Skipper boldly commanded the stage with her rendition of sitting judge Kelly Clarkson’s “Piece by Piece”. Unlike Boy George, Clarkson identified the choice immediately. The song’s deeply personal lyrical content touches upon the life experiences of both women. And listening to Skipper’s exposition of passion, we can surely feel it. So could Clarkson, who let her arms drop and the waterworks flow. It seemed she was ready to erupt in sing-a-long at any moment, were she not so movingly choked up. It’s a shame Kelly’s team was nearly full, but she was thankful to Adam and Blake for pushing their buttons.
#6: Luke Bryan
Ethan Payne Covers “Do I” This next cover happened with help from Make-A-Wish and a big-hearted country star. Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, Georgia-native Ethan Payne challenged his illness with a love of guitars and country music. The Foundation allowed the young Payne to meet and play guitar for his hero: Luke Bryan. A very impressed Bryan even brought the boy onstage to perform his songs, “Here’s to the Farmer” and “Do I”, live in concert. “American Idol” reunited the pair years later, when Payne sang the latter ballad again. Bryan beamed from ear-to-ear at the sight of his old friend, and he happily rose to perform alongside the inspirational young man. The result was an obvious ticket to Hollywood and a reassuring reminder that Ethan Payne was already a winner.
#5: Led Zeppelin
Top 10 Celeb Reactions to Roe Vs Wade Overturning
Ann & Nancy Wilson Cover “Stairway to Heaven” You can’t just entrust one of the all-time greatest rock ‘n’ roll songs to anybody. Ann and Nancy Wilson were up to the task though, with no less than Barack Obama and the surviving members of Led Zeppelin in the audience. During the 2012 Kennedy Center Honors, the Wilson sisters had backup from an operatic choir and the late John Bonham’s son, Jason, on drums. Band members Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and John Paul Jones donned conservative smiles as the women began to conquer their mythological anthem. By the end, the Zeppelin members were promptly on their feet applauding. Even Plant couldn’t hold back the misty teardrops, as they joined the entire crowd in spine-tingling admiration of the unforgettable tribute.
#4: Ozzy Osbourne
Yuto Miyazawa Covers “Crazy Train” If you’re good at something, the YouTube likes will flow. Budding guitar virtuoso Yuto Miyazawa learned this at a young age, as online videos of his guitar shredding earned him a slot on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show”. He proceeded to nail an insane cover of Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train”, and was surprised when the rocker himself came out. Young Yuto was endearingly polite, as Osbourne praised him and encouraged him to keep it up. So wowed was the singer that he invited Miyazawa to play alongside him for a few impressive live sets, including at Ozzfest 2010. While rockstars may dole out many compliments to fans, you know they’re sincere when they make the devotees part of the band.
#3: Barry Gibb
Keith Urban Covers “To Love Somebody” They infected us with night fever, and they taught us to stay alive. The Gibb brothers, better known as the Bee Gees, inspired whole generations with their euphonious poetry and signature falsetto. A few of their famous full-grown fans revered the trio in a ninety-minute television special saturated with premium performances. But it was Keith Urban and his electric six-string that coaxed all the feels out of Barry Gibb, the eldest Gee. With Robin and Maurice gone tragically too soon, Urban’s take on “To Love Somebody” chimed with eulogistic resonance. Gibb clasped his hands and heart, visibly touched when the whole amphitheater chanted along. Urban’s poignant, magical showcase lifted Gibbs from his chair and his spirit even higher.
#2: Trent Reznor
Johnny Cash Covers “Hurt” Who sang it first? Many are surprised to learn that Johnny Cash was not the first to croon the darkly impactful hymn, “Hurt”. Rather, he adopted the tune from Nine Inch Nails…something lead singer Trent Reznor, who also penned it, initially didn’t love. The recording itself made Reznor feel like his most intimate piece of art was cheating on him. It was the music video that changed his mind, bringing goosebumps to his skin and droplets to his eyes. He even shifted to believing that the words had ethereally changed ownership, saying “that song isn’t mine anymore.” Though we can never be certain what drew The Man in Black to Reznor’s composition, we’re just as grateful for it as Reznor is.
#1: Dolly Parton
Top 10 Times Dolly Parton Was Awesome
Whitney Houston Covers “I Will Always Love You” We still feel reverberations from that note – you know the one. But before Whitney Houston split the firmament with “I Will Always Love You”, it was a quiet ballad that belonged to country icon Dolly Parton. The rumor mill churned out stories of how Parton and the pop superstar clashed over the recording, but that narrative couldn’t have been further from the truth. Parton felt indebted to Houston for amplifying the song’s popularity, and she later used some of her royalties to invest in a Black Nashville neighborhood. And when Houston won “Best Female Pop Vocal Performance” at the Grammys, it was Dolly who presented the award. Talk about ending on a high note!
