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Lydia Loveless Gives Kesha’s ‘Blind’ An Alt-Country Makeover

Lydia Loveless

Record Store Day is not only a celebration of brick and mortar vinyl peddlers, but also a great opportunity for artists and labels to push unique odds and ends. This year, Columbus, OH alt-country singer Lydia Loveless is using the date to release her non-album cut “Mile High” (which she and her band performed at SPIN’s House of Vans party at this year’s SXSW), with a cover of Kesha’s Auto-Tune ballad “Blind” on the B side. While Kesha’s version of the track is about as somber as you can get for a high gloss Dr. Luke and Benny Blanco production, Loveless reimagines it with the kind of heartbroken confidence the song requires. The lonely pain shines brightest when the chorus—”You must be blind if you can’t see/you’ll miss me ’till the day you/without me, you’re nothing”—is stripped of Autotune warbles and sung with assuredness.

But why Kesha? Turns out Loveless is a poptimist with a strong adoration for Kesha. (She even has a Kesha tattoo!) Loveless tells SPIN:

“I chose this song because it resonated with me personally, but also because I could hear a really simple pop song beneath all the overproduced bullshit. I often screw around with pop songs at home, and that one just ended up sticking with me as something I wanted to do. Then when I brought it to the band, they took it to a completely new level sonically. It just had that moody, remorseful sound I think the song needs. I love Kesha because she seems like a really rad chick and great songwriter that maybe got pushed around by too many old white men. I want to see her do something really great soon, and I love her albums. I’ve seen her twice live, and last time my friend and I got her logo tattooed on us beforehand. It was actually the day I took all the photos for my new album ‘Somewhere Else.'”

“Mile High” b/w “Blind” is out on April 19 via Bloodshot Records on limited edition lime green vinyl (Kesha’s favorite color!).