Robin Stjernberg recently covered “Torn” — the song made famous by Natalie Imbruglia — on the SVT programme Tillsammans för Världens Barn. Robin, a runner up on the 2011 edition of Swedish Pop Idol and 14th at Eurovision 2013, has a track history of “not winning”. Could this cover version ever be anything other than second best?
“Torn” Cover
Yes. It’s not even third, fourth or fifth best!
Many songs have been covered in a manner similar to this. He’s stripped it back to a very acoustic performance with just him and the piano. He tries to get to notes that should never be in any version of this song, taking away its whole essence. “Torn” is about someone who realises their emotions have been ripped apart and then thinking about what they might do to mend them. Robin sings like he is actually being torn. It’s painful and that’s not how the song was meant to be delivered – sorry Robin!
This is how it should be done:
Perhaps he would have been better doing it this way i.e. not singing at all and just miming…
not bad. not good.
Even the true original by Ednaswap did not impress me that much … Anyway i’m not so much into alternative rock bands, that is not my thing … but I find it hilarious that one of its composers, a usual Natalie Imbruglia’s songwriting partner, allowed this to become a pop tune … Ednaswap’s diehard fans must hate this to death LOL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWCOb0wxYCE
@katy I didn’t say Natalie did do the original
Only that the original wasn’t done by Natalie Imbruglia. 🙂
It’s not that bad in my opinion, I love Robin, I love Natalie and I love Torn. The only thing I don’t like that much is that very high note, it sounded a little out of place, but overall… yeah, not a bad rendition.
Ok Charles
It was a good reinterpretation. I think Robin has a great voice and managed to make the song work without sounding like a Natalie-wannabe.
Wonderful rendition – Robin did what I always love about him – a true wonderful vocal performance giving this almost quite forgettable song (sorry, it may be Natalie’s biggest hit … but not her most remarkable song … if any of you ever bother to listen to her whole catalogue) a true and more powerful meaning … because seriously? If all that matters is to copy exactly the way Natalie sings this … wake me up when everybody’s doing that is over … boring. Robin made it fresh and exciting by showcasing who he is … and not becoming another… Read more »
love robin, hate the song. DISASTER
I actually like it, am I crazy or what?