Mix Tape Monday: Let’s Hear it for the Girls

Here we go folks! It’s the second installment of my Mix Tape Monday focusing on awesomely talented female singers and musicians from all over the world. (You can see my first post here). Let the music begin!

Neon Bunny – It’s You. These dreamy lyrics pitted against some intense electric beats by Korean artists Neon Bunny are just the sort of tunes you need to get you through an urban fueled existential crisis while looking effortlessly cool all at the same time. Check out Come A Little Closer.

Sarah Geronimo – Ikot Ikot. With a last name like Geronimo this Filippina singer is bound to be great. And yes this soulful slow jam is just that. Watch her music video Perfectly Imperfect. It starts out like a Dove commercial and then turn into a music video. Pretty powerful stuff.

Coeur de Pirate – Comme des Enfants. Need some ethereal sweet breezy songs in your life? Look no further. This French songstress will usher all those whimsical spring time feelings. Want more in your pocket full of sunshine? Try Heartbeats Accelerating and Golden Baby.

Haloo Helsinki! – Jos Mun Pokka Pettaa. All credit goes to Eric who first sent this song my way. This went to my punk-loving 80’s retro heart. I want to compare them to a Finnish version of Blondie with more grit and electric guitar, but that description doesn’t do them justice. You’ll just have listen for yourselves! For more listen to Kiitos ei ole kirosana and Huuda!

Kiran Ahluwalia – Hayat. Who would have thought that blues guitar would make me want to sail down the Ganges but in Hayat it does! This Indo-Canadian songstress has a talent for melding different musical styles in her songs. Like Hayat? Listen to Awara as well.

 

Mix Tape Monday: International Cover Songs

One of the beautiful things about music (and art in general) is how it evolves and is reinterpreted through different artists. Check out these awesome song covers and see how they are transformed!

 

Ben L’Oncle Soul – Seven Nation Army (covering The White Stripes). I am hard pressed to choose which version of Seven Nation Army I like better. When I listened to this soul version by French artist Ben L’Oncle Soul I almost forgot what the original sounded like.

Hozier – Sweet Thing (covering Van Morrison). Hozier I love you. There was a week where I listened to this song everyday when I got home. I may have even sung it to myself on my walk home (so Bostonians that girl singing to herself in Cambridge…that’s me).

G-Dragon – This Love (covering Maroon 5). This list would not be complete without Korean star G-Dragon! This Love takes a surprisingly smooth transition into a Korean rap. That’s right I said Korean rap. Check it out!

Piano Guys and Alex Boye – Peponi (cover of Coldplay’s Paradise). Behold, two covers for the price of one! This is both an instrumental cover AND a translation of Coldplay’s Paradise by internet sensation the Piano Guys and Alex Boye. Alex sings in English, Yoruba, and Swahili in addition to his own version of scat. All this combined makes a pretty epic cover song.

Coeur de Pirate – Ain’t No Sunshine (covering Bill Withers). It’s hard to beat Bill Withers’ original but French singer Coeur de Pirate brings a whole new haunting and tragic element to this classic song.

Which do you prefer the covers or the originals? Any good international covers I missed? Add them below.