Creating your rendition of a notable song can be a hit or miss for fans.
If the song you perform is something so famous and monumental, fans would be expecting nothing less from you. Expectations are high, and a lot is at stake. But when you do kill it, you’ll receive lots of praises for the rendition you did.
This all-female A Capella group called Citizen Queen had a bold take on a 90s hit.
They recorded their rendition of “Killing Me Softly” by The Fugees, which became popular in 1996. This song gathered a huge following (and a generation) because the song was a perfect marriage between soul and hip-hop.
But did you know that The Fugees weren’t the original artist for this, too?
It was a song by Lori Lieberman, but she failed to chart her single in 1971. The following year, Roberta Flack made her rendition, and that’s when the public took notice of the song. She even won Best Pop Performance and Record of the Year at the Grammys.
However, the trio of Lauryn Hill, Pras Michel, and Wyclef Jean took a unique spin on the song.
Combining their soul and hip-hop roots appealed to the 90s audience. The beat and bop weaving into the intimate and painful lyrics of the song gave the genre a facelift. It was a gift to this new generation of listeners.
The song turned 25 last 2021, and Citizen Queen thought of commemorating it with a cover.
Watch the video below to listen to their entire rendition. It’s all worth it because it’s nothing short of beautiful. While you’re at it, let us spoil you with the best parts of the entire performance.
It started with the three girls harmonizing the first chorus.
Their voices gave that same eerily gravitating vocals that Lauryn Hill did on their 90s hit. But their harmony added to that chilling effect; their voices would give you goosebumps.
The beat came in, and the solos started.
The first verse was done so well; her soulful voice would pull you in. The blending of their alto, soprano, and falsetto was perfect, and it wrapped the vocal solo around a whole entrancing package.
Each singer delivered a praise-worthy performance.
Their voices had different tones, but they sang each verse perfectly. The beat and bass by the two other girls gave it a modern twist yet stayed true to the soul and hip-hop vibe of The Fugees’ version.
Citizen Queen’s rendition reached over 7 million views on YouTube in November last year.
People were very impressed with their performance. Some noted how the bass and the beatboxing were excellent, especially that it was something not a lot would expect from an all-female group. One also mentioned how the five ladies were incredibly talented but never overshadowed each other.
A lot of them also applauded how the ladies gave the song justice.
Witness their performance below and see for yourself. Let us know if you agree with the YouTube comments or not.
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