Female Idols Covering English Songs
Versatility is important as a singer or performer in the music industry. Many idols go on to cover songs in a variety of languages to show off their multifaceted talents. The beauty of covering other artists’ songs comes in creating a new and one-of-a-kind twist to the original. With a wide variety of covers by female K-Pop idols, here’s a few that will leave you in awe.
“I Like U”
On May 6, 2020, LOONA was invited to perform for 88RISING’s Asia Rising Forever free livestream event. Aside from performing tracks like “So Bad” and “Colors,” three members decided to perform something separate. Members Heejin, Yves, and Chuu gave a cover performance for NIKI’s “I Like U.” The girls had mentioned that they became interested in the artist NIKI and were inspired to perform a rendition of her “attractive” song.
“Clarity”
In 2018, BLACKPINK announced the In Your Area World Tour and performed in over 18 countries through 2020. In this concert, the girls performed their own solo stages of either singing or dancing. Member Jisoo gave a beautiful cover performance of ZEDD’s “Clarity,” where she created a unique cover by singing the main verses in Korean and the chorus in English. You can find fancam uploads on YouTube for this amazing cover.
“Take You Down”
In May 2020, the Mnet program Good Girl aired on television, showcasing a diverse cast of South Korean hip-hop and R&B artists performing together in teams to win a cash prize. In the early episodes, each artist was told to perform a solo stage to display their individual musicality. KARD’s Jiwoo gave a powerful and sexy cover performance of Chris Brown’s “Take You Down.” There’s just something about this bold performance that makes you want to watch it over and over again.
“Watermelon Sugar”
On July 22, 2020, MAMAMOO’s YouTube channel posted another cover sung by member Hwasa. For this video, she covered Harry Styles’s “Watermelon Sugar” with a short video of a fun and comfortable vibe. It’s no secret that Hwasa is able to give her own spin on any song she covers.
“Bang Bang”
In 2014, artists Hyolyn, Ailee, and Jessi performed on stage together for the 2014 MBC Music Awards, where they did a cover of “Bang Bang” by Jessie J, Ariana Grande, and Nicki Minaj. With such powerful energy and mind-blowing vocals, it’s a memorable performance that will be ingrained in your head for years to come.
“Sway With Me”
On February 24, 2020, Warner Music Korea posted a video featuring artists Sonnet Son and AleXa performing an energetic cover of a song from the film Birds of Prey. Together, both ladies put their own spin on Saweetie and GALXARA’s track “Sway With Me.” Their voices blend perfectly together while displaying a bad girl vibe in their stage presence.
“Love Yourself”
In 2019, AKMU’s Lee Suhyun gave a jaw-dropping and delightful cover of Justin Bieber’s “Love Yourself” on KBS CoolFM. Even though fans know of her moving vocals, it's undeniable that her talent is raw and one-of-a-kind.
“Kiss Me More”
On June 8, 2021, STAYC posted a video where the members performed a cover for Doja Cat’s “Kiss Me More.” Unfortunately, member Isa is missing from this performance. What’s iconic about this cover is they kept the explicit lyrics from the original song while still keeping it respectful lyrically. For a cover of a popular track, it’s impressive to see these girls cover a variety of Western pop songs.
“Lights Up”
On April 1, 2020, Oh My Girl posted a video of member YooA covering Harry Styles’ “Lights Up.” Along with a vocal cover, the video includes a dance cover as well. Her soft and stunning vocals make this cover memorable.
“Born This Way”
In 2019, TWICE went on their first world tour for TWICELIGHTS, which had stops in over eight countries! For their first stop in South Korea, members Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Mina, and Chaeyoung performed a unit stage together covering Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way.” Unfortunately, a few days before TWICE was set to perform in Singapore, there was an announcement that member Mina would be taking a break for her mental health. Despite not having Mina there for the remainder of the tour’s amazing unit stage, they still performed a heartwarming cover together. You can find fancam uploads on YouTube for this amazing cover.