South Korean singer-songwriter MRCH smashed out an epic cover of Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” with the help of her talented drummer friend Mingzzi119. During a live studio session, MRCH performed the hit with a big dose of passion that just perfectly matched the dramatic lyrics of the song, which might just be Coldplay’s finest hour.
MRCH, whose real name is Yoon Jiyoung, has a gorgeous voice and she just goes to town on the mic, hitting all the big hooks with ease. Chris Martin sings the iconic vocal melodies of “Viva La Vida” with a somewhat melancholy tone, but MRCH gives it a more uplifting vibe that really changes the energy of the song and makes it her own. The cover was a breakout hit for MRCH on YouTube, gaining 7.4 million views and significantly boosting her profile on the platform.
The two girls obviously have a lot of fun playing the song together and that energy is infectious. Mingzzi119 is also a popular YouTube content creator, and she delivers a grooving drum part that swells and crescendos in all the right places. Mingzzi119 plays on a rock kit but uses mallets and presents a stately arrangement that seems more influenced by orchestral percussion than popular music.
MRCH’s cover was a hit with fans online, who added comments such as “She looks so happy, you can almost hear it in her singing, and also I love her vocal style” and “The song has such a power already and you have only upgraded it to yet another level. I adore your voice and energy alike. Thank you so much.” MRCH has a number of great covers on her channel, with another popular upload being her cover of Charlie Puth’s “Dangerously”, which you can check out below.
MRCH is 28-years-old and was born on March 28, 1996. She debuted in 2019 with her EP Let’s March, and releases music on her independent label MRCH Music. Her YouTube channel showcases her original music, collaborations with other musicians and a range of covers from artists such as Justin Bieber, Ed Sheeran, Adele and Green Day
MRCH has a Bachelor degree in Songwriting from Yonsei University in Seoul, and she’s been putting those skills to good use. She not only writes her own original music but has written songs for some big names in Korean music, such as Twice‘s “Talk That Talk” and “Celebrate”, Woo!ah!‘s “Rollercoaster” and NiziU‘s “Poppin’ Shakin’”.
The singer-songwriter showed excellent taste in choosing Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” for her cover. The song is broadly acknowledged as one of the band’s greatest compositions and was met with critical acclaim upon release, taking home Song of the Year and Best Pop Performance by Group at the Grammy Awards. The track also met with commercial success, going to number one on both sides of the Atlantic, and is currently the band’s second most streamed song on Spotify with 1.8 billion streams. If you would like to see more from MRCH, you can subscribe to their YouTube channel or follow them on Instagram.