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ReImagined At Home: Netta Gives MC Hammer's '90s Classic "U Can't Touch This" A Modern-Day Makeover
Netta

Photo: Courtesy of Netta

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ReImagined At Home: Netta Gives MC Hammer's '90s Classic "U Can't Touch This" A Modern-Day Makeover

MC Hammer's GRAMMY-winning hit "U Can't Touch This" gets a playful update in this imaginative homage from pop singer/songwriter Netta.

GRAMMYs/Aug 9, 2022 - 05:03 pm

Born in January 1993, singer/songwriter and looping artist Netta wasn't even alive when MC Hammer released his classic "U Can't Touch This" in 1990.

But in this episode of ReImagined at Home, Netta puts her signature stamp on a cover performance of "U Can't Touch This," paying homage to the original with an equally joyful — and colorfully revamped — rendition that's brimming with her own infectious personality. 

Atop a bed made of netting, Netta sits suspended some 10 or 15 feet in the air, her microphone suspended from the ceiling and BOSS tabletop looper at her feet. With a big smile on her face, she adds layer after layer of melody and harmony to create a lush, danceable and modern track that's still recognizable as "U Can't Touch This."

Toward the tail end of her performance, Netta also tips her hat to another aspect of the song's history, singing "She's a very kinky girl" over the beat. That's a line from Rick James' "Super Freak," which is prominently sampled in MC Hammer's original recording of "U Can't Touch This." (When "U Can't Touch This" won the GRAMMY for Best Rhythm & Blues Song in 1991, both MC Hammer and James took home trophies. The song also won Best Solo Rap Performance.)

As a star who first rose to fame when she won the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 — repping her home country of Israel — Netta is no stranger to cover performances. During her stint on HaKokhav HaBa, Israel's televised national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest, she won fans over with cover performances of artists like Kesha, the Spice Girls and David Guetta.

Since winning the big contest with her own original song, "Toy," Netta has been steadily mounting her personality-packed, harmony-laden, signature brand of electropop. She'll continue to build that vision with her next song, "Playground Politica," set for release on August 31. 

In the meantime, press play on the video above to watch Netta's spin on "U Can't Touch This," and keep checking back to GRAMMY.com for more episodes of ReImagined at Home. 

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ReImagined: Mathew V Offers A Jazzy Rendition Of Ray Charles' Iconic "Georgia On My Mind"
Mathew V

Photo: Courtesy of Mathew V

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ReImagined: Mathew V Offers A Jazzy Rendition Of Ray Charles' Iconic "Georgia On My Mind"

Emerging jazz-pop singer Mathew V puts his spin on Ray Charles' "Georgia on My Mind," one of the many classic hits he covered on his latest album, 'Anything Goes.'

GRAMMYs/Jun 6, 2023 - 05:00 pm

Over 60 years ago, musical legend Ray Charles kept Georgia on our minds with an unforgettable cover of Hoagy Carmichael's original song — rightfully topping the Billboard charts and winning two golden gramophones at the 1961 GRAMMYs.

"I said, Georgia, oh, Georgia/ No peace I find/ Just an old, sweet song/ Keeps Georgia on my mind," Charles croons in the song's chorus. "Other arms reach out to me/ Other eyes smile tenderly/ Still, in peaceful dreams, I see/ The road leads back to you."

In this episode of ReImagined, emerging pop singer Mathew V delivers his interpretation of "Georgia on My Mind." Though Mathew V remains loyal to Charles' original recording, he makes the song his own with his soft vocal tone and agile runs.

"Georgia on My Mind" is one of the many songs Mathew V covered on his latest project, Anything Goes, which also features jazzy reimaginings of other classics like Etta James' "At Last" and Barbra Streisand's "Don't Rain on My Parade." He'll bring his jazz stylings to the stage on Aug. 6, when he'll perform a one-night-only hometown show at Frankie's Jazz Club in Vancouver, Canada.

Press play on the video above to watch Mathew V's soulful rendition of Ray Charles' "Georgia on My Mind," and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of ReImagined.

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ReImagined: Nat Myers Offers A Bluesy Rendition Of John Prine's Final Song, "I Remember Everything"
Nat Myers

Photo: Courtesy of Nat Myers

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ReImagined: Nat Myers Offers A Bluesy Rendition Of John Prine's Final Song, "I Remember Everything"

Korean-American blues singer Nat Myers honors John Prine by transforming the late country great's final song into an upbeat, acoustic folk track.

GRAMMYs/May 23, 2023 - 12:18 pm

On April 7, 2020, the country world had to say goodbye to beloved icon John Prine. Two months later, his final song was posthumously released, and it was a poignant one: "I Remember Everything," a reflection on a well-lived, well-loved life.

"I remember everything/ Things I can't forget/ The way you turned and smiled on me/ On the night that we first met," Prine sings in the chorus. "And I remember every night, your ocean eyes of blue/ I miss you in the morning light like roses miss the dew."

In this episode of ReImagined, Kentucky native Nat Myers performs a cover of "I Remember Everything." Known for his nimble picking style, the Korean-American singer performs the song on just an acoustic guitar. He remains mostly faithful to Prine's original recording, but increases the tempo for a more folk-inspired sound.

Aside from covers, Myers has a blooming career writing original blues music. On June 23, he will release his newest album, Yellow Peril, via Ease Eye Sound, an independent record label and studio in Nashville, Tennessee, owned and operated by Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys.

Press play on the video above to watch Nat Myers' cover of John Prine's "I Remember Everything," and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of ReImagine.

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ReImagined: Sid Sriram Turns Alanis Morissette's "Uninvited" Into A Stirring, Carnatic-Inspired Track
Sid Sriram

Photo: Courtesy of Sid Sriram

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ReImagined: Sid Sriram Turns Alanis Morissette's "Uninvited" Into A Stirring, Carnatic-Inspired Track

Indian singer Sid Sriram metamorphoses Alanis Morissette's 1998 single "Uninvited" into an evocative, Carnatic track using traditional vocal techniques.

GRAMMYs/May 9, 2023 - 05:00 pm

In 1998, Alanis Morissette captured the heart-rending core of the romantic fantasy film City of Angels on the soundtrack's 2x GRAMMY-winning lead single, "Uninvited." Morissette rejects the idea of an unlikely partner, one unable to understand the truth of her reality — much like Meg Ryan's character, who inevitably falls in love with an angel played by Nicolas Cage.

"But you/ You're not allowed/ You're uninvited/ An unfortunate slight," Morissette commands in the chorus. Despite Cage's sacrifice of his angel status to become closer to Ryan, the two never see eye-to-eye, and it ultimately leads to a tragic ending.

Twenty-five years later, Indian singer Sid Sriram transforms this emotive piece into a Carnatic track in this episode of ReImagined. While Morissette is touted for her powerful, belting vocals, Sriram uses traditional Carnatic techniques for a soulful, haunting sound.

Beyond covers, Sriram has a prolific career as a playback singer for Bollywood films. On March 29, he released an original song called "Do the Dance."

This summer, Sriram will join Bon Iver on tour for a string of live shows in the United States, beginning Aug. 5 in Madison, Wisc., and concluding Aug. 12 in Bend, Ore.

Press play on the video above to watch Sid Sriram's rendition of Alanis Morissette's "Uninvited," and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of ReImagined.

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ReImagined: LAVI$H Offers A Soul-Stirring Performance Of Ed Sheeran's "The A Team"
LAVI$H

Photo: Courtesy of LAVI$H

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ReImagined: LAVI$H Offers A Soul-Stirring Performance Of Ed Sheeran's "The A Team"

LAVI$H puts his take on Ed Sheeran's emotional breakthrough single "The A Team," refreshed with the alt-R&B singer's haunting falsetto.

GRAMMYs/Apr 25, 2023 - 05:00 pm

Since the start of his career, Zambian-Canadian alt-R&B singer LAVI$H has been commended for his unique fusion of hip-hop, pop, and metal. Now, he's traversing a new genre with a rendition of Ed Sheeran's folk ballad, "The A Team."

In this episode of ReImagined, LAVI$H takes inspiration from the street shots in Sheeran's music video for the song. He performs the cover from an abandoned park, surrounded by graffitied benches, garbage cans and a dim lantern. 

While LAVI$H mostly remains faithful to Sheeran's original, acoustic version of "The A Team," he adds his own twist with agile falsetto runs.

2023 has already been a big year for LAVI$H, who made his major label debut on Feb. 24 with "World In My Hands," via Def Jam Records. He released his second single, "We Make Sense," on March 22.

Press play on the video above to watch LAVI$H's take on Ed Sheeran's "The A Team," and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of ReImagined.

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