You may have heard of the unbelievably-talented Jasmine Van den Bogaerde, better known as Birdy, after her gorgeous piano and vocal cover of Bon Iver’s “Skinny Love” spread around YouTube and even made the singles charts in the UK. If not, then prepare yourself for another overwhelmingly beautiful piano cover from the rising cover star, her interpretation of the xx‘s “Shelter.” The 15-year old has a knack for choosing simple compositions and coaxing the beauty out of them while keeping a sense of intimacy and delicacy. And yes, you read that last sentence right, this girl’s only 15!
Even though Birdy couldn’t even get her learner’s permit in most states, her voice sounds more polished and dynamic than any of the 20-somethings on the radio today. She captures the solitary, isolated feeling of the xx’s original and Romy Madley Croft’s understated but affective vocal performance, but she also lets loose and shows off her impressive range. The simple piano accompaniment, subtle strings and echo-y, Daniel Lanois-esque production add some dramatic effect and put the focus on the striking vocals. With performances like these, Birdy might become a name we start hearing a lot more in the future. Stream the track below.
Check out more from Birdy on her Myspace.
[…] now, starting with her take on Bon Iver’s “Skinny Love” and following up with “Shelter” by the xx and others on her YouTube channel. While her debut album came out in November in the UK (where […]