American musician St Vincent has shared her views on talent show covers of Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen’s iconic masterpiece ‘Hallelujah’, calling it “the worst thing in the world.” Speaking to Jo Whiley on BBC Radio 2, the musician expressed her admiration for the song, describing it as “one of the best songs ever written.” Despite this, she also voiced her concerns with how the song was often “butchered” by singers on shows like ‘American Idol’ and ‘X Factor’, who would reduce it to “just hallelujah, haleluuuujah.”
‘Hallelujah’ has been covered by countless musicians over the years, including Bob Dylan, Rufus Wainwright, KD Lang, and Jeff Buckley. Bryan Adams’ rendition of the song was also temporarily the UK Christmas chart-topper before being succeeded by an anti-X Factor campaign in 2009.
St Vincent, whose real name is Annie Erin Clark, is an accomplished musician herself and is preparing to release her forthcoming sixth studio album, ‘Daddy’s Home’, which is set to arrive later this year. She recently shared her positive experience of working with Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters on her new song ‘Flea’, sharing footage of Grohl recording drums for the track. The album is set to feature several guest artists, including Yves Tumour, Spoon, Dorian Electra, Momma, and Eartheater, and the tour will start this April in North America.
St. Vincent’s previous albums include 2014’s Grammynominated ‘St Vincent’ and 2017’s ‘Masseduction’, which was a critical and commercial success. She is hailed as one of the greatest musicians of her generation, and her music often defies categorization, touching on a variety of genres, from rock and folk to electronic and art-pop. She is also known for her activism on social and political issues, including women’s rights, LGBTQ+ equality, and animal welfare
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