Elton John Covers Khalid’s ‘Young Dumb & Broke’ and It’s Weirdly Awesome
Spotify has been on a roll with their Spotify Singles series this year, and pop icon Elton John's entry into the franchise does not disappoint.
Spotify Singles come from an artist recording a live version of one of their own hit singles and a live cover of another artist's song, usually at the Spotify studios. Who did Sir Elton choose to cover? 20-year-old R&B-pop hitmaker Khalid, of course.
Elton's Spotify Singles EP starts with a great performance of his quintessential 1973 hit "Bennie And The Jets." The live instruments, especially the guitar and piano, really bring the song to life. Elton then hops in a musical time machine for a cover of Khalid's 2017 hit "Young Dumb & Broke."
"'Young Dumb & Broke’ is a fabulous song, one of my favorites," Elton says of the American Teen single in a statement released with the cover. "I discovered Khalid's music a few years ago, and have been a fan ever since," Elton continues. “We finally met when I played his home town of El Paso last year. It’s a thrill to be a small part of any new artist's journey, and it’s been wonderful to see his star continue to rise and rise."
We weren't sure what to expect, but Elton basically turns Khalid's hit into a light-rock jam we can imagine hearing played every hour on adult contemporary radio. Honestly, hearing 71-year-old pop music veteran Elton John belt out the lyrics "I'm so high at the moment / I'm so caught up in this / Yeah, we're just young, dumb and broke / But we still got love to give," is pretty awesome. Listen to the cover here.
Khalid himself even pops up at the end, laying down some ad-lib vocals on the outro. "I’m really pleased that he liked my cover enough to contribute vocals," Elton writes in his statement. Imagine getting a co-sign from a legend like Elton John, and then having HIM thank YOU for approving of his cover? Someone pinch Kahlid bc we bet he thinks he's dreaming.
Elton is known for praising current and younger artists. Earlier this year Elton praised Young Thug after his song "High" sampled the pop icon's "Rocket Man."