Kevin Garrett Transforms Bieber’s ‘Where Are Ü Now’ into a Soulful, Synthetic Confession [Stream]

Brooklyn’s Kevin Garrett debuted his first EP of original songs last April to much acclaim, but he should also be recognized for his ability to completely reinvigorate an overplayed (albeit catchy) pop song. And with Jack Ü’s “Where Are Ü Now”, Garrett transforms the EDM pop hit into a soulful, synthetic confession. Garrett’s version earnestly depicts feelings of yearning, aching and hollowness that fester from replaying a ghostly memory, pulling the song’s intentions to the surface.

While the melody follows a similar progression to the original track, the tempo is significantly slower. This modification, coupled with Garrett’s haunting voice (which reverberates and penetrates the stillness of an empty room), allows the track to extract the essence of heartache. “Where Are Ü Now” is no longer just a fun dance tune; rather, Kevin Garrett rebuilds it entirely by peeling off the excess. There are your run-of-the-mill covers, and then there is this one.