BBCs Live Lounge is great and all but what I love most is trawling through Youtube to find the best cover versions of my favourite songs by unsigned artists. If you put the time in, you'll find so many different and innovative interpretations of the biggest hits right now... but who has the time for that I hear you say? Have no fear for that's what our Youtube FaceOff is all about.
Today we're going to take a look back at a classic RnB song from the late 90s, 'I Try' by Macy Gray. It's hard to imagine anyone else singing this track due to Macy's distinctively raspy voice but many singers have tried to put their own stamp on the song.
First up is a user called daphkhoo, who has a much softer voice than Macy Gray so her version instantly has a different feel to the original. The acoustic guitar playing enhances the sweet fragility of daphkhoo's voice and I just think its a stunning cover.
Another great verison I found is sung by a user called Irma, who has a number of songs on YouTube, including originals. I think Irma is so good that she could be signed. Her voice on 'I Try' is soft like the previous version but Irma changes the arrangement more and I love the way that her voice almost cracks at certain points.
Men often try to cover female songs on YouTube but few have attempted to make their own version of 'I Try', perhaps due to the unique quality of Macy Gray's voice. There is a famous version however by an artist called Ben Taylor, whose cover has been featured on a TV advert. However, I prefer Tyler Shaw's version, which takes the famous arrangement and makes it his own with what I think is a more unique voice. I don't like it quite as much as the previous two versions but it's a great cover still and is definitely worth a listen.
Finally, I wanted to share another female version of Macy Gray's signature hit. While the first two I chose were softer and more fragile, user Alacarmina's cover has more of a country feel to it. I love that she has an edge to her voice but yet is still quite soulful in her interpretation of the song.
So which version of 'I Try' do you think is best? If I had to pick then I would have to go for the first version by user daphkhoo but which one is your favourite? And are there any more incredible covers of the song out there which I have missed? Let me know by liking, sharing and commenting below. And come back soon for another Youtube FaceOff!
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