Rachel Chinouriri is an alt/indie singer-songwriter, who performed at the Glastonbury festival this year. Another act at Glastonbury? Coldplay. So she recored a cover of “The Scientist” to celebrate.
As it turns out, the artist has a large amount of reverence for Coldplay because of a personal experience. In an interview, she once stated:
“Coldplay, like, saved my life. I was 13 and going through that the worst time ever as I was in a racist secondary school, but Coldplay was one thing that kept me going,” she had told the publication The Forty-Five. “I have this love and connection with Coldplay that is just endless, and no one can ever change my mind. I don’t care what music that they put out; I don’t want to hear a single thing about them that is bad.”
As Chinouriri began singing, the notes flowed out effortlessly. Even if one didn’t know the relationship the artist has with Coldplay, the purity with which “The Scientist” was delivered told all. This version is a near-genre swap. The vocals have moments of light and airy jazz riffs, and the instrumental introduction is unexpected, with its panned electronic eighth notes (that tickle the brain just right). As we phase in, the beat gets solidified and the arrangement becomes more similar to the original, while the heartfelt and gentle vocals continue to offer a direct contrast to the Coldplay version.