They’re the Cypriot rockers who followed up their Eurovision 2016 performance by dropping a rock cover of Ed Sheeran’s “Photograph“. Now, after an eventful year that included the release of a mini-album, a lineup change, a song release and the recording of their new album in Denmark, Minus One have released a fresh new cover of “You Don’t Own Me”.
Whereas they tackled a contemporary track in “Photograph”, here they go back in time, updating Lesley Gore’s 1964 classic. You may not recognise the the title, but you’ll know the tune: it has featured in movies including The First Wives Club and Suicide Squad, in the hit TV series The Handmaid’s Tale and in countless commercials.
It’s much more than a simple rock cover. In fact, the creative lyric video showcases what is actually a duet between lead vocalist Andreas Kapatais and guest singer Semeli.
And who actually is Semeli? We contacted Minus One drummer Chris J to find out.
“Semeli is actually a 15-year-old student who our manager just happened to see at a dance academy showcase,” he says. “He thought it would be a good idea to collaborate on the specific song so voila. You will not find her anywhere. She’s too young!”
Originally the song was the rant of a girl in first person to her boyfriend. Now it’s sung as an argument between a feuding couple, well backed by the band. The song flows between the heavy, masculine parts sung by Andreas, and the soft, feminine parts sung by the talented teen, who isn’t scared of matching the loudness of the guitars with her voice. She more than lives up to the task, which makes me think she could represent her country on the ESC stage one day.
Rock isn’t just loud and louder. As the band proves, careful production can smooth the edges and help take you on a journey. It seems these guys can do little wrong. So, if you’re looking for something pleasant to listen to, follow Juri Pootsmann’s advice and just hit play.
It’s so well done! I love this rock version of the song without losing its originality. And the girl who sings is so good! Great job!
Haha, I love the rock guitars! Great stuff at the end. Not sure the song works as a duet, but the rock twist on the song is great. 🙂