Top 10 K-pop covers of English songs you might not know about
Just because they are K-pop artists, it doesn’t mean they are restricted to perfoming K-pop songs. Many K-pop artists have performed covers of English songs, from ABBA’s Dancing Queen to Rihanna’s Diamonds. Here are some of our favourite covers:
‘Thinking Out Loud’ by Ed Sheeran, covered by Lunafly
This two-member group, starring Sam Carter and Han Seung Yun, officially debuted in September 2012 with their original song How Nice Would It Be. Since then, the group has released two albums, numerous singles, and covers of both English and Spanish songs, including Ed Sheeran’s Thinking Out Loud from the album “X”.
‘DJ Got Us Falling in Love Again’ by Usher, covered by TTS and EXO
Girls’ Generation sub-group TTS, comprised of three Girls’ Generation members – Taeyeon, Tiffany and Seohyun – collaborated with D.O., Chanyeol, Luhan, and Sehun of EXO to perform Usher’s DJ Got Us Falling in Love Again at a concert in Tokyo.
‘Just a Dream’ by Nelly, covered by LC9
This less well-known group, formed in 2013 with five members, debuted with MaMa Beat. Though the group disbanded in 2016, their original songs and covers – such as their cover of Nelly’s Just a Dream – are still in circulation.
‘We Don’t Talk Anymore’ by Charlie Puth featuring Selena Gomez, covered by Jimin and Jungkook
Jimin and Jungkook of BTS covered this song in 2017. BTS has become spectacularly popular, and were the first K-pop group ever to perform at the American Music Awards (AMAs) in 2017; they also received the Top Social Artist award at the AMAs 2017, ahead of Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez.
‘Pillowtalk’ by Zayn, covered by Henry
Henry, former member of Super Junior-M, recorded a cover of Zayn’s Pillowtalk in 2016. In the video, Henry plays the piano while singing, demonstrating his soft yet powerful vocal capabilities.
‘How Deep is Your Love’ by Calvin Harris, covered by Jessica Jung
Jessica Jung, former member of Girls’ Generation, released her first solo album, “With Love J”, in 2016. Jung performed Calvin Harris’s How Deep is Your Love at a fan meeting in Shanghai, fully choreographed and with back up dancers – a performance quite unlike any other artists’ acoustic covers.
‘She Will Be Loved’ by Maroon 5, covered by Day6
Day6 is a JYP Entertainment group, formed in 2015. The members – Jae, Sungjin, Young K, Wonpil, and Dowoon – worked together to cover She Will Be Loved in 2016.
‘Bust Your Windows’ by Jazmine Sullivan, covered by Lee Hi
Lee Hi first shot to fame as the runner-up in SBS’s TV survival audition K-pop Star season 1. She auditioned for the show with her rendition of Jazmine Sullivan’s Bust Your Window and stunned the judges with her deep soul-like voice. After the show she was signed by YG Entertainment, and released her first single, 1,2,3,4.
‘Diamonds’ by Rihanna Covered by Jessi and Hyolyn
Solo artists Jessi and Hyolyn collaborated on a cover of Rihanna’s Diamonds for TV show You Hee-yeol’s Sketchbook in August 2017. Jessi’s powerful voice and Hyolyn’s vocal range allowed both stars to shine bright.
‘All of Me’ by John Legend, covered by Mamamoo featuring Bumkey
The K-pop girl group Mamamoo, which debuted in 2014 with the song Mr. Ambiguous, are recognised for their retro, jazz, and R&B concepts and strong vocal performances. They collaborated with Bumkey to perform John Legend’s All of Me. Band member Moonbyul’s ability to rap gives the cover a unique twist.
Want more stories like this? Sign up here. Follow STYLE on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter
Many South Korean musician have covered English songs, giving them a unique K-pop twist