Emma Dewing Covers Guns N Roses’ “Don’t Cry”: Idolator Premiere

Mike Wass | April 12, 2016 12:00 pm

Emma Dewing first landed on radar in 2015 with delightfully depressing debut single “Beautiful Mess.” Sounding like a cross between Tidal-era Fiona Apple and Lorde, the 22-year-old immediately stood out from the ever-growing crowd of dark-pop divas thanks to her velvety vocals and classic style. The singer/songwriter resurfaces today (April 12) with an exquisitely executed cover of Guns N Roses’ 1991 hit “Don’t Cry.”

“From the first time I heard the song, I connected to it on an emotional level,” Emma says of the Use Your Illusion I ballad. “It’s a total classic from one of the most bad ass bands of all time… I just wanted to put my own spin on it.” And she does that by stripping the song back to its dark, emotional core — belting out the bittersweet lyrics over an elegant piano and string arrangement. It will not only whet your appetite for Guns N Roses upcoming set at Coachella, but also will leave you wanting to hear (a lot) more from the mysterious Miss Dewing.

We’re excited to premiere the cover, which was produced by Ely Rise (Justin Bieber, Adam Lambert and Mike Posner), below.

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