“With modern times often full of heaviness and darkness, how do we find the strength to survive and grow?” singer-songwriter asks
Valerie June, an expert at covers, takes on latter-day Duran Duran with her very own rendition of “Ordinary World.”
While many artists covering songs tend to stay true to the original, June’s version is more stripped-down, her stark vocals contorting around the rhythm to emphasize the meaning of the Nineties anthem: Persisting through darkness.
Given the current state of the world, June’s timing of the cover is no coincidence. “With modern times often full of heaviness and darkness, how do we find the strength to survive and grow?” she said. “From the changing climate to wars and our personal stories of loss, it can be overwhelming to dream of a more harmonious life for the entire planet. I recorded my cover of ‘Ordinary World’ because, despite the challenges we face every day, there is beauty to be found in the ordinary.”
She added: “Though we often think of change as an enormous process, it is the little things that make significant shifts when multiplied; one small and simple act of caring for the earth or a stranger is a way to see the extraordinary hidden within the ordinary. The toolbox that helps us create a world of joy and peace must have simple, tiny actions.”
Last year, June released covers of Nick Drake’s “Pink Moon” and John Lennon’s “Imagine,” included on the deluxe edition of her 2021 LP The Moon and Stars: Prescriptions for Dreamers. Prior to that, she dropped the three-song suite Stay/Stay Meditation/You And I, released as an EP.