R3HAB x Amba Shepherd - Smells Like Teen Spirit (Extended Version)

EDM covers have been all the rage lately, and R3HAB is no stranger to them. He recently teamed up with GATÜSSO for a cover of Radiohead’s “Creep,” and his rendition of ATC’s “All Around the World” remains his biggest hit to date. Now, R3HAB has teamed up with legendary dance vocalist Amba Shepherd to cover one of rock’s most iconic songs ever, Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”

Whether you’re a Gen-Xer who grew up with the original Nirvana tunes, or you’re a Millennial who was born after the song’s initial release in 1991, so long as you know anything about music, you understand the importance of Nirvana’s original breakout hit. This is about as good as a dance cover can get.

The production is pretty standard R3HAB, it’s got that bouncy, hard-hitting bassline, but I really enjoy the simplicity of it. When you hear the two synth notes emulating Kurt Cobain’s classic guitar plucks, you’re transported right back to that high school gym in the music video. As Amba Shepherd explains she was going for more an indie chill vibe with her vocal, but her take perfectly captures the disaffected youth vibe of the original. Here’s what the two artists had to say about “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”