It’s Friday again folks and you know what that means – another artist has a crack at covering an iconic song for triple j‘s Like A Version. This week? Billie Eilish.
The young lass dropped by the studios to record a stripped back version of Michael Jackson‘s clissic, Bad, recruiting her producer, touring guitarist/synth player and real-life brother, Finneas O’Connell, on acoustic guitar and backing vocals.
They’re currently touring the country as part of the annual Laneway Festival, with Brisbane and Fremantle stops rounding out the summer fest this weekend.
Bringing the track back to vocals and acoustic guitar lets Billie’s moody and soulful lyrics cut through, and stripping one of the verses right back to nothing but clicking to keep the pace transforms the song from a high-intensity song full of attitude into more of a sultry ballad.
Definitely not as goosebump-inducing as some covers past, but Billie’s take on MJ is not to be dismissed.
Check out the video below and seethe with me over how one 16 year old can be so bloody talented.
God dammit I was never this cool as a teenager. I’m not even this cool now.
PEDESTRIAN.TV caught up with Billie at the Sydney leg of the festival, and played a cheeky round of Game Of Phones with her and a bunch of other Laneway artists.
Turns out she’s not a fan of the ol’ group chat on FB. Teens, huh.
