By Sasha Geffen
Performing at the BBC Radio 1 “Live Lounge,” UK singer/songwriter FKA twigs (aka Tahliah Barnett) paid tribute to fellow English crooner Sam Smith by covering his hit single “Stay With Me.”
Backed by a drummer, bassist, and guitarist, Barnett turned the song from a towering piano anthem into a slow, nervous trip-hop track. In a way, her eerie take on the chart-topping hit fits its heartsick lyrics even more closely than Smith’s original rendition.
In an interview with the BBC’s Alice Levine, the 26-year-old singer explained how the song spoke to her: “There was one line which basically alludes to saying, ‘I’m not in love with you and maybe this isn’t a serious thing, but it’s perfect for right now and it’s what I need emotionally right now,’ and maybe that’s just something that I have related to.”
FKA twigs recently released her debut album LP1 on Young Turks. In addition to covering Smith, she also performed her own song “Two Weeks” at the Live Lounge.
Hear Barnett’s full interview at Radio 1′s website, and watch her performance of “Stay With Me” below.
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