EDM covers have been all the rage lately, and R3HAB is no stranger to them. He recently teamed up with GATÜSSO for a cover of Radiohead’s “Creep,” and his rendition of ATC’s “All Around the World” remains his biggest hit to date. Now, R3HAB has teamed up with legendary dance vocalist Amba Shepherd to cover one of rock’s most iconic songs ever, Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”
Whether you’re a Gen-Xer who grew up with the original Nirvana tunes, or you’re a Millennial who was born after the song’s initial release in 1991, so long as you know anything about music, you understand the importance of Nirvana’s original breakout hit. This is about as good as a dance cover can get.
The production is pretty standard R3HAB, it’s got that bouncy, hard-hitting bassline, but I really enjoy the simplicity of it. When you hear the two synth notes emulating Kurt Cobain’s classic guitar plucks, you’re transported right back to that high school gym in the music video. As Amba Shepherd explains she was going for more an indie chill vibe with her vocal, but her take perfectly captures the disaffected youth vibe of the original. Here’s what the two artists had to say about “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”
“Growing up, I heard all kinds of music. Some songs stuck out to me the way they became part of my youth. That’s what exactly this song is for me. ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ has always been special for that reason. Being able to work on something made by legends like Nirvana together with Amba was a great experience, and I hope our fans and listeners will enjoy it.” – R3HAB
“I’m so excited about this new collaboration with R3HAB! I wanted to make an unexpected electronic version of the iconic track, so I recorded my vocal as an indie chill demo. Just keys, subtle paddy synths and beats, and I sent it over to Fadil. He produced such an incredible track, and this is when this collab was born. It was amazing to work with him, and I look forward to more music together soon.” – Amba Shepherd
Check out R3HAB & Amba Shepherd’s cover of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” out now on CYB3RPVNK.