Illeeria – “Girl On Fire” / “Girl On Fire” (Inferno Version)
Illeeria – “Girl On Fire” / “Girl On Fire” (Inferno Version)
Illeeria – “Girl On Fire” / “Girl On Fire” (Inferno Version) – Singles Review
We were introduced to the music of Illeeria in the summer of last year with her single “My Story In Chords” and discovered the potential she has as a singer & artist out there in the Pop realm. This time around, we get what might even be a better glimpse of what she’s capable of through a cover of the megahit “Girl On Fire,” originally by the legendary Alicia Keys. It’s always one thing to hear someone do their own song…they designed it, they wrote it, and by all accounts, that should usually stack up to a win if you’re giving it everything you’ve got – but objectively, it’s almost harder to judge your skillset because we don’t know what we can’t know – make sense? When you’re making a cover song, we know all the hidden unknowns…we know how the original sounded, and generally speaking, that often becomes to blueprint for the next versions that inevitably follow it in today’s world. So it’s like we’ve got an existing framework for what we know the song could be, and for better or worse, we’ve also got a standard that’s been set through the original version we’ve heard before. Then you break it down even further…if you’re recreating the song to give it your own perspective, then we pretty much circle back to the first way we’d listen to the results, where it would be more like comparing it to the things that you’ve done…or if it’s intended to be a faithful cover that sticks closely to the original script and how things sounded, that’s when it becomes the most noticeable about whether or not you do or don’t have what it takes. Faithful covers can be the scariest to take on, because it’s very much the story of ‘don’t fix something that ain’t broken’ for so many listeners out there, yet we continue to see them pop up year after year, because a timeless tune is exactly that, and we never really grow tired of hearing them. Illeeria chose to take on “Girl On Fire” as a faithful rendition of the original with little changes, because she “felt it was perfect the way Alicia Keys sang it” before – which would make covering it a seriously risky choice in that regard, wouldn’t it? Who in their right mind wants to take on perfection?
You gotta be fearless to take on a song this monumental, right? But ain’t being fearless really what “Girl On Fire” is all about to begin with?
It will probably come as no surprise to you to learn that Illeeria is not Alicia Keys…there’s only one of those. The good news in that respect, is that Alicia Keys is not Illeeria either…there’s only one of those too, as far as I know. We are who we are, and as individuals, we can always do the best we can to emulate our heroes and such…but even in the most faithful renditions, chances are, listeners are still going to be able to hear who YOU are and what YOU can do. Here’s the good news though…and to be honest, something I don’t know that I can say I was completely expecting…which is that Illeeria, can compete. Sometimes all it takes is the right inspiration or the right reason to cover a song to get to some of your very best, and with “Girl On Fire” being dedicated to her daughter Alicia, I’d say that it appears Illeeria was on a mission to knock this one outta the park…which yes, I’d say that she did. And let’s be clear about what she’s accomplished in that regard for a second here y’all…Alicia Keys is an absolute titan when it comes to her vocals, so for Illeeria to have come out sounding so strong through her cover version of “Girl On Fire,” she should be extremely proud of what she’s accomplished overall. Is it the original? I mean…no…but to be truthful, it’s really damn close. Considering that was the goal for Illeeria this time around, again, she should be stoked about how bang on this cover ended up being. She’s arguably a little more delicate in her approach to the verses, but not by much and nothing at all that’s detrimental to the outcome. More importantly than anything else in a situation like this, especially in such a recognizable, worldwide hit from the Pop genre, Illeeria hit the hooks with full power and nailed them 100%. I ain’t gonna lie to ya, that’s what 99% of the people out there checking out a cover version are more than likely to be interested in most – did she, or did she not, hit them hooks as hard as hard can be. Illeeria did, and that’s all you can really ask for. The last thing any fan of the original song would want to do in the case of ANY cover song, is damage its legacy with a lackluster performance. Illeeria fully holds her own – like I said, she clearly has the voice to compete, and what you’ll hear in her performance on “Girl On Fire” sounds like she stepped up and owned the moment. Outright impressive if you ask me…the hooks on “Girl On Fire” are ENORMOUS, and Illeeria got every ounce out of’em. Was it always going to be a challenge for Illeeria to do the “burn baby burn” part and get that meaningful moment out there with as rough of an edge to give it that empowering energy? Yes. Different singers, different capabilities…simple as that. But honestly, aside from that tiny fragment of this song, I felt like Illeeria got to the heart of the entire vibe of “Girl On Fire” & brought her best to it.
While it’s probably fair to say there aren’t too many massive differences between the way that Illeeria approaches the way she sings the ‘Inferno Version’ of her “Girl On Fire” covers (coming out on the 28th of this month), from my perspective, it’s the stronger version of the song by a fair margin. Ultimately, it’s like “Girl On Fire” 2.0 – it has enhancements in all areas, in my opinion. The beat is bigger, the use of slight effects on Illeeria’s vocals go a long way as well – even the video is a little more on-brand for what her fan-base is accustomed to. I still feel the way I feel about the “burn baby burn” moment, which tells me that it’s likely the same vocals being used in each version, and like I said, just enhanced a bit for this newer remix. Ain’t nothing wrong with going that route. I suppose I’d tell ya that “Girl On Fire” (Inferno Version) feels a bit more balanced, robust, and complete by comparison, but it’s a genuinely strong cover no matter which you click on. Overall, it’s a solid representation of how good Illeeria’s vocals are – I mean, if she can keep up with the high standards of an icon like Keys, she’s in damn great shape for the future of her career ahead, right? You’ll find no majorly substantial complaints from me here today. I think video-wise, you’ll see a more endearing spin on the visuals that highlight WHY Illeeria chose to take this cover song on to begin with, that feature scenes from her amazing daughter Alicia onscreen with her…and I felt like some of the more natural, organic scenes you get to see in that first version help us get to know who Illeeria is in behind the scenes. That being said, as she heats things up in the visuals for her ‘Inferno Version,’ I’m confident she’ll get a positive reaction from the people out there watching that video too. All-in-all, Illeeria went in with a goal and knew what the mission was in covering “Girl On Fire” – she not only achieved her objective, she likely even impressed herself with the results she heard.
Find out more about Illeeria from this multi-link here: https://linktr.ee/illeeria
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