Mikky Ekko’s Original Version Of Rihanna’s “Stay” Is Absolutely Gorgeous: Listen

Mike Wass | January 22, 2014 11:33 am

Mikky Ekko made the leap from critically acclaimed underground artist to veritable hitmaker by penning (and lending his vocals to) Rihanna‘s career-best ballad “Stay”. The song has been covered by everyone from Vin Diesel to Patti Smith and will probably still be played at weddings ten years from now. But what did the original demo sound like?

The answer is absolutely gorgeous. Mikky’s solo version of the blockbuster smash surfaced online today (January 22) and it sounds remarkably similar to Rihanna’s mega-selling interpretation. The arrangement is unchanged and RiRi even mimicked the Nashville-based songsmith’s vocal delivery. Listen to the pretty, understated demo after the jump.

Would this have been a hit for Mikky or did it need Rihanna’s star power? Your thoughts in the comments below.

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