The Cover Up: Mike Hough ~ In Case (Demi Lovato cover)

I'm constantly gagged by Mike Hough and his sensational music (and I of course mean "gagged" in a "oh the eleganza" way rather than this way, because obviously the latter would be a bit uncomfortable and weird). Reality tv slang lessons aside, I'm seriously smitten with Mike Hough, the emerging megastar. We're half way through (and some change) 2013 and already it's been a stellar year for the young fella. His EP has slayed the critics (read here) and he's dazzled with his own interpretations of songs by Bruno Mars (here), Rihanna (here), Gnarls Barkely & Beyonce (here - and honestly, I'd be quite happy if he just did a Beyonce covers album at some point in the future!), and a Naughty Boy/Sam Smith/Wretch32 medley (here). Like a few of my favourite emerging artists this year (see Ed Drewett, Asher Monroe, Scarlett's Roses, Velvet Stream), Mike has been quite prolific with his twitter and youtube presence, ensuring fans are rewarded with new music and stunning covers while he prepares for the official release of his debut album. What I love about these artists, and Mike in general that whether it's his own penned tunes or his redefinition of other people's songs, he is always really easy to write about. Take his latest youtube venture - a cover of Demi Lovato's In Case (that makes me instantly forget I wanted him to cover Heart Attack). The original Demi version is lyrically a bit reminiscent of Ne-Yo's So Sick (so perfect for Mike's engaging r'n'b vocal style); Mike takes the small lyrical elements of loss and ensures that he delivers this tale of heartache with such a tender & wistful sadness that it becomes as instantly affecting as, say, the first ten minutes of Disney's Up; it has that instant power to make you stop in your tracks & become one with the emotional pull of his singing. Case in point - when he sings the first chorus, there's a power in his vocal that demonstrates how emphatic he is in his conviction that this should not be the end, yet there is a vulnerability & yearning that bring the words into a stark reality that is all too relatable for the listener. It's this type of craft that makes me think not only will Mr Hough produce an album that impacts for years to come, but would be ideal for modern musicals like Once or The Hit List. I remain no less excited for his music than I did at the start of the year and am eager for the rest of the world to succumb to his ample charms. Stunned.