He is France’s most successful Eurovision act of the past decade. They’re one of the world’s biggest bands. And now, two musical powerhouses collide as Amir joins OneRepublic on the bilingual French/English version of their newest single “No Vacancy”.
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First released almost a month ago, the English language original has already been a moderate chart hit throughout Europe and North America.
The dancehall inspired pop track relies heavily on lead singer Ryan Tedder’s falsetto vocals as he sings to the one who makes his life complete. The mind behind mega-smashes such as Leona Lewis’ “Bleeding Love” and Ella Henderson’s “Ghost” tells of how once it “used to be that I felt so damn empty” but “ever since I met you, no vacancy”.
For the most part, the Amir assisted iteration keeps everything as is. However, the “J’ai Cherché” hitmaker adds an extra dimension to proceedings. His raspy vocals make for a grittier chorus as he duets with Ryan. And then he holds his own on subsequent verses when at times he’s almost rapping.
The splattering of French brings a certain je ne sais quoi and charm, especially when Tedder sings the words “no vacancy” in a distinctly Gallic accent.
Whereas so many feature spots feel like token efforts and ultimately redundant, Amir takes the opportunity to elevate the song to new heights.
And while we haven’t heard the French chanteur tackle tropical sounds before, it feels like a natural progression from the radio-friendly fare of his 2016 album Au Couer De Moi.
OneRepublic feat. Amir “No Vacancy” (Official Audio)
The present collaboration is a ringing endorsement — if one was needed — of Amir’s rising stature in the music world, on both a national and international level. “J’ai Cherché” was much more than a Eurovision hit, snagging the French-Israeli star a whole array of awards and a headline spot during the Euro 2016 celebrations.
But Amir isn’t the first Eurovision alum to join forces with a global name. In recent years, we’ve seen Carly Rae Jepsen sing with Denmark’s A Friend In London, Snoop Dogg work with Azerbaijan’s Arash, while Flo Rida schooled Slovakia’s Twiins in the art of a one night stand as well as assisting Sweden’s Robin Stjernberg on “Thunderbolt”.
What do you think of Amir’s collaboration with OneRepublic? Is “No Vacancy” as good as “J’ai Cherché”? Let us know in the comments below.
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I’m really excited about this collaboration! Amir with One Republic? That’s awesome!
I like the song. It not amazing, but who knows? The more I’ll hear it the more I’ll like it.
I prefer “J’ai cherche” though! Still in love with this song!
wow
this is big for a eurovision artist
Just heard it, it’s so good! It must have been a dream come true for Amir to collaborate with one of his favorite bands!
Good for him. Definitely looking forward to hearing the collaboration.