Electronic music and sampling go hand in hand. In fact, the genre would have likely had a very difficult time picking up the kind of steam that it did without the influence of sampling. The same, however, cannot be said for covering.
While it isn’t strange for musicians to do covers of pop songs, it is most definitely a rarity in the world of EDM. Sure, we get a refreshing cover of the Robin S. classic “Show Me Love” just about every year, but complete remakes of anything else are few and far between.
Aaron Richards wants to change that. The up-and-comer has gained some serious attention over the last few years for the astounding vocal performances he brings forward in his originals and features, though most of his fans would probably say that they found him through one of his covers. 
Having released through Monstercat numerous times, Richards pitched the idea of releasing official, for-sale covers to the label. The timing of the pitch aligned perfectly with the launch of their new “Instinct” imprint, and seeing a golden opportunity, Monstercat shook on it and launched the “Instinct cover series.”
The first release in the series is a cover of Justin Bieber’s “She Don’t Like the Lights,” fittingly done by Richards himself (with some help from the seasoned veteran Direct).
Though the cover seems to take more inspiration from Bieber’s acoustic version of the song than it does from the electropop original, Direct’s adaptable production style makes the cover somehow seamlessly work on the fronts of EDM, pop and R&B at the same time.
Unlike most electronic music, however, the production here is not as much of a key player as the vocals. The beat undoubtedly takes a back seat to Richards’ voice, which is absolutely luminous in this song… Richards’ harmonies are fantastic and his range is as impressive as ever. The man undeniably knows how to evoke emotion with his voice, and that really comes out on this cover.
Check out Aaron Richards & Direct’s take on “She Don’t Like the Lights” below:
Support on all platforms: monstercat.lnk.to/SheDontLiketheLights
