Covering a song, especially a beloved one, takes some gusto. If you want to be taken seriously, you either reinterpret it through your own lens or you play it straight and aim to be better than the original. Either way, if you shoot and miss you risk looking like a fool. Unfortunately Teairra Mari, the girl with "daddy" issues that left an indelible scar on my consciousness (I still have nightmares and side-eye spasms to this day), has taken on such an endeavor and missed the mark. Her target? Janet Jackson's classic "Come Back to Me." Janet's original was perfectly in tune with the feeling of loss and longing after a break up (it's made many of my playlists when I was feeling like Martin after he and Gina broke up). Teairra's rendition just feels like she's singing karaoke. It's a passable enough job, but there's just no emotional connection here. Honestly, she felt more invested singing "Sponsor," her ode to the joys of being a kept woman (read: gold digger). Take a listen below while I listen to the original on repeat for a few hours.
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