Watch Rina Sawayama cover Billie Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever”

Rina Sawayama brought a cover of Billie Eilish‘s megahit “Happier Than Ever” (No. 26 on The FADER’s Best Songs of 2021 list) to the BBC Live Lounge along with a performance of “Hold The Girl,” the title track from her new album.

Sawayama’s version keeps the original song’s journey from melancholy to catharsis, with a few sonic switches. The Live Lounge performance opens with post-rock melodies instead of the original’s gently strummed, nylon-stringed guitar, and the explosion of distorted electrics is the same sleek and savage sound you’ll find on Sawayama’s records. Watch below.

Rina Sawayama's sophomore album Hold The Girl was released this month. It contained the singles "This Hell," "Catch Me In The Air," "Phantom," and "Hold The Girl." She discussed the new album's creation and much more on a recent episode of The FADER Interview with host David Renshaw.

Last week, Billie Eilish shared lyric videos for two new songs, "TV" and "The 30th." She was a headliner at this year's Coachella Festival and shared her sophomore album Happier Than Ever in July 2021.