The Billboard Music Awards 2022, which was held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 16, saw Drake, Justin Bieber, Olivia Rodrigo and The Kid Laroi win big. The highlights of this year’s awards were Mary J. Blige, the queen of hip-hop soul, being honoured for her contribution to the music industry with the ‘Icon Award’ and Drake breaking his own record as the artist holding the most number of awards in the history of the Billboard Music Awards (his count is now 34).
Other noteworthy acts that won were the silky R&B duo of Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak, who bagged their first-ever Billboard award, and Taylor Swift, who’s four wins this year notched up her lifetime count to 29 — giving Drake a run for his money. So, as the curtains draw, My Kolkata brings to you remarkable covers of five winning numbers that stand tall against the originals:
Dua Lipa’s ‘Levitating’ (Jazz cover by Postmodern Jukebox)
Levitating added yet another feather to Dua Lipa’s cap, bagging her the Top Radio Song at the Billboard Music Awards 2022. The chart-topping single previously scripted history as it became the first song by a lead female artist to spend 35 weeks on the Hot 100 chart’s top 10. Postmodern Jukebox, a jazz ensemble by arranger and pianist Scott Bradlee, reworks the hit pop tune with a vintage 1920s spin! Western jazz singer Sweet Megg is the lead vocalist for the cover. She transforms the upbeat tune into a sprawling, jazz classic with the help of a mini symphony orchestra.
Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak’s ‘Leave The Door Open’ (Jonathan Mouton’s cover on ‘The Voice USA’)
Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak’s Silk Sonic is undoubtedly the top R&B act in the music industry today. And their single, Leave The Door Open, rightly crowned them the top R&B duo. Jonathan Mouton’s blind audition for The Voice USA is an intoxicating rendition of the song and does the impossible — it incorporates even silkier notes into the song!
The Kid Laroi & Justin Bieber’s ‘STAY’ (Rock cover by No Resolve)
STAY by The Kid Laroi & Justin Bieber won in five categories — Top Hot 100 Song, Top Streaming Song, Top Collaboration, Top Billboard Global (excluding USA) Song and Top Billboard Global 200 Song. Rock band No Resolve, who are famed for adding rock spins to hit pop tunes, covered the song in a masterful manner with raging energy, riveting guitar riffs and roaring vocals.
Walker Hayes’s ‘Fancy Like’ (a cappella cover by Journey Day)
Walker Hayes’s Tik-Tok approved Fancy Like won him the Top Country Song at the Billboard Music Awards. While we have a special place for his unique style, a cappella singer Journey Day’s cover knocks the song out of the park!
BTS’ ‘Butter’ (Amber Reid’s blind audition on The Voice Australia)
It comes as no surprise that BTS’ Butter won the top-selling song award at the BMA — K-Pop fans have had the tune on repeat since it dropped! The number was covered by the likes of Lizzo at a BBC Live Lounge and YouTube sensation KAYCEE. But what caught our eye was Amber Reid’s blind audition on The Voice Australia. Her rendition of Butter retains the bones of tunes, while adding in smooth crescendos, falsettos and a dusky rap.
Another version of the song that we recommend is the Australian rock band Red Shores’ cover. Check it out here.