Kelsea Ballerini applies a velvety-smooth touch to Shawn Mendes’ “Lost in Japan” in her new cover version of the pop hit, recorded in Nashville for Spotify Singles.
Written about a globe trotter who finds himself only a few hundred miles from his paramour, Mendes first released the funk-and-R&B-influenced tune as a single in the spring of 2018, and then followed up with an electro-dance remix by Zedd which reached the Top 15 on Billboard’s mainstream pop radio chart. Ballerini’s version looks to the original as a jumping off point, as she faithfully reimagines the track’s sincere account of spontaneous romance.
A gentle, harp-like string flourish replaces Mendes’ soft piano intro, as Ballerini eases into an arrangement that’s only slightly more organic than its predecessor – essentially not fixing what isn’t broken. A funky bass line still drives the effortless groove ahead, while breathy, almost bashful vocals present the spur-of-the-moment plan for a casual international hang with just the right amount of uncertainty.
“Do you got plans tonight?/I’m a couple hundred miles from Japan, and I/Well, I was thinking I could fly to your hotel tonight/’Cause I, I, I can’t get you off my mind/I can’t get you off my mind,” she sings in the hooky chorus.
Ballerini also recorded a new version of her current single “Miss Me More,” from her Grammy-nominated second album Unapologetically, for Spotify. On April 11th, she’ll embark on the Miss Me More Tour (her first arena run as a headliner) with Brett Young and Brandon Ratliff supporting.
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