Last week, singer/songwriter Nick Carpenter, known as Medium Build, released a cover duet with Nashville-based singer/songwriter Sydney Rose of Charli XCX’s hit song “Sympathy is a Knife” for the All Things Go 10th Anniversary Benefit Compilation. Listen to the song HERE.
photo credit: Mckenzie Whitman
This cover is exactly what we expect from an artist reinterpreting another artist’s song: they make it their own, and they do it successfully. “Sympathy is a Knife” by Charli XCX, from the album brat, is originally an upbeat, club-inspired track. But with a duo known for their sad and longing sound, we knew this version would take another turn.
As Sydney and Nick teased on social media, this is “Sympathy is a knife of despair and agony,” and reworking the song under this entirely new production is both beautiful and heartbreaking. The blend of their voices is mesmerizing and deepens the lingering feeling carried throughout the track.
Nick shared: “This song is the most beautiful snapshot of human insecurity, I remember the first time I heard it thinking, ‘omg did she just say she wants to shoot herself?! You can’t say that!’ even though I thought about doing that all the time. I love how honest Charli is about her internal conflict. ‘I couldn’t even be her if I tried,’ literally. All the wars in our head are so bogus and thoughts are rarely valid at all. This song came at a perfect time where we all wanted to be hot and perfect and bouncing back into life. Brat summer and Pink Pony Club and Espresso. It was all good vibes, but Charli also said it’s cool if you’re an insecure piece of shit. I love her. Sydney and I related on being insecure little weirdos from neighboring towns in Georgia. I love her. I couldn’t even be Sydney Rose if I tried. But I do wanna see her backstage at my boyfriend’s show.”
The compilation, celebrating 10 years of All Things Go, is out today, with all proceeds being donated to The Ally Coalition. The album features collaboration with Maren Morris, Jack Antonoff, Kesha, Orville Peck, Rachel Chinouriri, and more.
Follow MEDIUM BUILD | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TIKTOK | SPOTIFY | APPLE MUSIC
Follow SYDNEY ROSE | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TIKTOK | SPOTIFY | APPLE MUSIC
Leave a Reply