RAYE may be a new face on the pop scene, but her outstanding cover of Nina Simone’s legendary “Feeling Good” is already cementing her legacy on the internet, racking up nearly a million views in a year and leaving fans breathless.
We’ve all heard this song a million times before; both Nina Simone’s original 1965 recording and Michael Bublé’s 2005 rendition became mainstay advert soundtracks here in the UK. Muse’s 2001 cover was voted the “greatest cover song of all time” by NME readers, while George Michael recorded a live version two years before his death, featuring on his only live album, “Symphonica” in 2014.
However, the 27-year-old South London singer RAYE has stripped back all the big-band clichés of this overplayed hit, transforming the song into an acoustic masterpiece played on grand piano, the only accompaniment being her ultra-evocative voice.
RAYE’s a cappella intro lets her unworldly talent shine in the brightest light before some tender piano chords evolve into that haunting, spiraling riff which made all previous renditions an instant hit.
But rather than sinking into the darkest orchestral turns, RAYE’s smokey version stays as classy and emotive as a midnight jazz club, tinged with an addictive melancholy and ribbed with some truly flawless vocal runs and a stunning jazz vibrato. It’s wild to hear how RAYE substitutes the big band sound for pure feeling, covering the song with an up-close and personal atmosphere, especially once compared to the untouchable radio extravaganzas of previous renditions.
After dropping out of BRIT school (London’s chart-topper churner previously attended by Ed Sheeran, Jessie J, Adele, and more), RAYE has been releasing tunes since 2014, collabing with artists including Stormzy, Jonas Blue, Charli XCX, David Guetta, and Jess Glynne, amongst others. But her breakthrough only came after leaving her major label Polydor to go independent, releasing her debut album, “My 21st Century Blues” in 2023, which hit #2 on the UK album charts.
After TikTok sent her collab single with 070 Shake, “Escapism” viral and won RAYE her first solo UK #1 (check out the music video above to hear the mind-blowing versatility of RAYE’s voice!), RAYE has been taking the pop scene by storm, winning six BRIT awards in 2024 out of a total of seven nominations, including Album of the Year (which she accepted in tears with her grandma on stage), Artist of the Year, Song of the Year (with “Escapism”), and Songwriter of the Year – the latter an outstanding feat, with RAYE being the first female songwriter in BRITs history to pick up the award.
RAYE’s unique take on “Feeling Good” masterfully strips away past conventions, revealing the raw emotion at its core and captivating a global audience. Her ability to reinvent such a classic song underscores her potential to reshape the pop music landscape. For those eager to delve deeper into the artistry of this rising star, explore the useful links below.