The American soul and funk singer Chaka Khan has just collaborated with singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright from the Rufus band, where she once started her musical journey, according to Stereogum. This surprising combination has brought us their unique cover for “Cotton Eye Joe.”
Rufus has just released their new covers album, Folkocracy, which has brought many talents together, such as “Down In The Willow Tree” with Brandi Carlile, among others. However, “Cotton Eye Joe” stands out among the rest.
As an old folk song used for line dances, “Cotton Eyed Joe” has once been the global hit song for the Swedish band Rednex in the 1990s, combing European dance music with added bluegrass touches for a unique song. Chaka Khan and Rufus Wainwright’s cover for the song definitely brings out a novel feeling for this old song to their fans, with beautiful and harmonious vocals form the two singers, backed up by solemn and emotional pianos playing in the background, giving the audiences a harmonious and calm experience listening to it. Chaka’s voice was definitely the highlight of the cover, standing out with her signature vocal yet fitting the atmosphere harmoniously. When the chorus of the two singer kicks in, one would definitely feel an emotional surge triggered, making this cover a comparatively quiet but powerful one. Listen to “Cotton Eyed Joe” for yourself below.
Rufus Wainwright has also made a great collaborative work Carly Rae Jepsen last year, called “The Loneliest Time.” Go check it out.
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