We’ve all heard Elvis Presley’s classic hit “Suspicious Minds,” but did you know that beneath the lush production of the Presley version lies a heartbreaking ballad? America’s Got Talent star Angelina Jordan stripped back the song right to its core, creating a touching ballad with the help of a piano arrangement from Rob Christie. When you take away the strings and the full band, the lyrics of the song really resonate, which the then-16-year-old singer perfectly accentuated with her soulful vocals.
Jordan has a real talent for getting right to the heart of a song and delivering the lyrics in an emotionally affecting way. This, paired with her incredible voice, made for a truly special performance, which is no doubt why her cover blew up to seven million views on YouTube. The Music Man has also gotta hand it to Christie, whose expert touch on the piano hits all the right notes to make the performance hit hard.
Jordan uploaded her cover of “Suspicious Minds” to YouTube on June 22, 2022, and it’s since become her fifth-most popular upload on the platform. Presley fans were really touched by her treatment of his classic hit and added comments such as “Angelina doesn’t cover songs – she uncovers them, delivering their essence to heart. Wonderful!” and “You reduced this old Elvis fan to buckets of tears. I know he would have loved this version.”
Jordan has scored a number of hit covers on YouTube. Her second-most popular video is her cover of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ cult classic “I Put a Spell on You,” which has been viewed 12 million times. The cover is all the more remarkable as Jordan was just 10 years old at the time of the performance. The Music Man has to say that Jordan, at 10 years old, might just be the most complete musical artist we’ve ever heard at such a young age.
Angelina Jordan Astar was born on January 10, 2006, in Oslo, Norway. She came to global attention at age 8, with her viral audition on Norway’s Got Talent, where she sang “Gloomy Sunday” in the style of Billie Holiday. She went on to win the competition, and in 2019 competed on America’s Got Talent: The Champions, where she finished as a finalist. She has since built a career as a YouTuber and a recording artist for Republic Records, having signed with the label in August 2020.