Miley Cyrus’ Awe-Inspiring Etta James Cover Shows Her Massive Range
The year? 2014. The venue? Sydney Opera House. The Voice Coach Miley Cyrus' "I'll Take Care of You"? Perfection.
As one of the industry's reigning queens of a cover track, it should come as no surprise that Miley Cyrus had the crowd in the palm of her hand during her 2014 performance of Etta James' beloved blues hit "I'll Take Care of You."
Whether the former Coach of The Voice and Grammy winner is belting out Madonna or flaunting her lower register on a Metallica hit, Cyrus is a cross-genre juggernaut who effortlessly makes any beloved track her own.
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Cyrus' twist on "I'll Take Care of You" remains a glimmering example of her chameleonic pipes.
Check out Cyrus's incredible "I'll Take Care of You" performance here.
Miley Cyrus "I'll Take Care of You"
Cyrus has an affinity for reimagining blues and rock and roll tracks, and "I'll Take Care of You" perfectly catered to her vibrant vocals and powerful stage presence. She performed "I'll Take Care of You" as part of her lineup for her 2014 set at Live at Sunrise at the Sydney Opera House.
Repping a bright-colored Bangerz-era bodysuit and a sequined jacket, Cyrus was feeling the music from the opening notes of the blues hit.
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She has one of the most unique voices in the industry, and it lent itself effortlessly to the vocal finesse "I'll Take Care of You" demands. Cyrus began the song with soft intensity and allowed the music and her voice to build, showcased much of her mind-boggling range as she dipped and dived through each note.
She expertly injected grit and angst into the song's vulnerable stanzas, then reached a full crescendo with each chorus. Cyrus' rendition of "I'll Take Care of You" was both a tribute and respectful reworking of the classic.
Upon concluding one of these goosebump-inducing choruses, the crowd roared with adoration, but Cyrus told them: "Oh, I'm not done yet!"
As the song reached its final notes, Cyrus exclaimed, "I'm not done singing at the Sydney Opera House yet," earning another round of applause. Cyrus then delivered a final rendition of the chorus that had the audience roaring far after the song concluded.
What to know about "I'll Take Care of You"
"I'll Take Care of You" was written by Brook Benton and recorded originally as a single by blues singer Bobby Bland, first hitting radio waves in 1959. The song has since become a must-hear on many blues lovers' playlists and has been covered and sampled by several artists over the decades.
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While the original recording of "I'll Take Care of You" was a hit, later covers catapulted the track to timeless status. Etta James recorded a rendition of "I'll Take Care of You" for her 1998 studio album Life, Love & the Blues, which helped cement the track as a blues classic.
Other notable covers have been spun by Van Morrison, Elvis Costello, Irma Thomas, Gil Scott-Heron, Gary B. B. Coleman, and Rebecca Ferguson, to name just a few.
In 2011, Jamie XX remixed Scott-Heron's rendition, which was later sampled on Drake and Rihanna's 2012 single "Take Care." That was actually a big year for the song: Beth Hart and blues rock guitarist Joe Bonamassa also teamed up to record the song for their collaborative album, Don't Explain.
Watch the Season 26 premiere of The Voice on Monday, September 23, at 8/7c on NBC and the next day on Peacock.
