English singer Courtney Hadwin was working nonstop on original music in the studio, when one day, she decided to pause to film and release a string of cover videos. You can hear the first one — a soulful, rock-tinged cover of Harry Styles‘ “Sign of the Times” — exclusively via Billboard today (July 11).
Rocking a grey suit that Styles himself would definitely approve of, Hadwin slows things down with just an electric keyboard and guitar. The guitarist uses a slide to give the rendition a slight twang while still letting Hadwin’s rich vocals shine. At the end, she channels her inner rockstar and belts her roaring heart out.
“I’m in the studio recording [but] taking our time, as we want to get it right and make sure the songs are authentic to me,” Hadwin, 15, tells Billboard. “So in the meantime, I’ve put my own spin on some of my favourite songs that are more current and out of the scope of what I’d normally sing to share with all of you. I chose ‘Sign of the Times’ because it shows a softer side to my voice.”
Hadwin made a buzz in the industry after her season 13 audition on America’s Got Talent, which immediately went viral and earned nearly 300 million views across YouTube and Facebook.
Hadwin is currently in the studio working on her forthcoming album.
Watch the performance video below.