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Girl sings amazing cover of Nirvana’s “Heart-Shaped Box”
Kawehi uses a loop pedal and mini-keyboard to bring this classic rock song back to life!
Safet Satara
01.19.21

Kawehi is a musical genius from Kansas and a one-woman band.

Now, she’s a viral sensation with an interesting cover of Nirvana’s famous song. She’s become an Internet celebrity and rightfully so—a grunge cover has never sounded better!

YouTube Screenshot - I Am Kawehi
Source:
YouTube Screenshot - I Am Kawehi

Initially, Kurt Cobain wanted to name the song “Heart-Shaped Coffin.”

The track was released as the first single on Nirvana’s third and final 1993 album In Utero. The producers and Nirvana’s record company feared the song might damage album sales, but quite the opposite happened—“Heart-Shaped Box” reached number one on the Billboard Rock charts and the single made it into the top 10 in several countries.

Twitter - I Am Kawehi
Source:
Twitter - I Am Kawehi

Kawehi, however, managed to create an amazing, wholesome rendition just by using a mini keyboard and the beauty of looping and looping some more.

A native Hawaiian lives in Lawrence, Kansas with her fellow musician husband.

Twitter - I Am Kawehi
Source:
Twitter - I Am Kawehi

Kawehi says she used to just play guitar and do acoustic but got bored with that. After that she bought a loop pedal, and that’s when things took off.

Instagram - Kawehi
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Instagram - Kawehi

Kawehi’s YouTube channel already has a quarter of million subscribers.

Instagram - Kawehi
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Instagram - Kawehi

“I love looping,” says Kawehi, adding that it enables her to “pick a song and just digest it and then spit it out with every different element.”

It’s the exact same thing that happened with her “Heart-Shaped Box” cover!

YouTube Screenshot - I Am Kawehi
Source:
YouTube Screenshot - I Am Kawehi

Kawehi uploaded it to Vimeo in 2014 and Gizmodo picked it up the following day, after which it spread like wildfire.

More than two million people have seen it on YouTube so far. For more information on Kawehi’s music and tours, visit her official website.

YouTube Screenshot - I Am Kawehi
Source:
YouTube Screenshot - I Am Kawehi

We guess you never thought that looping and effects can sound so amazing using just a mini keyboard.

A young, talented musician filmed the video at her home. The mic is ready, everything’s set up, and you can hear her testing the sound as the camera goes on. Though nothing can prepare you for what you’re about to hear, you somehow feel that it’s going to be something awesome from the first note on.

YouTube Screenshot - I Am Kawehi
Source:
YouTube Screenshot - I Am Kawehi

Kawehi got creative and created a different cover that sounds like something you’d get if Radiohead and Bjork collaborated on a track.

It’s also the first Nirvana cover we’ve ever heard that includes beatboxing! It also sounds like the intro credits for a James Bond film, and Kawehi’s voice is wonderful. The girl is so calm when she sings, and she simply lets her sound do its magic.

YouTube Screenshot - I Am Kawehi
Source:
YouTube Screenshot - I Am Kawehi

We’re guessing that Kurt Cobain would love this interpretation of his song.

There have been so many “Heart-Shaped Box” renditions, but none with so much originality and imagination. The best thing about this cover is Kawehi’s passionate approach—you can tell that the original song spoke to her in a deep way.

YouTube Screenshot - I Am Kawehi
Source:
YouTube Screenshot - I Am Kawehi

What an amazing way to show how music can speak to anyone!

The best thing is that Kawehi is so confident in what she’s doing. Nirvana was a fan of eccentricities and of people who considered themselves “out there.” Clearly, Kawehi was in touch with that energy and brought her own uniqueness to it as well. Clearly, there are no limits to how we can interpret music!

YouTube Screenshot - I Am Kawehi
Source:
YouTube Screenshot - I Am Kawehi

Congratulations to Kawehi on this awesome cover! Be sure to watch the entire performance by watching the link below:

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