Emma Donovan, Drifting Clouds Cover Billie Eilish For 'Like A Version'

Billie Eilish

Emma Donovan, Arnhem Land group Drifting Clouds and a full backing band have put a phenomenal twist on Billie Eilish’s BIRDS OF A FEATHER on triple j’s Like A Version.

Accompanied by traditional Indigenous instruments, including the yidaki, Donovan and Drifting Clouds’ Terry Guyula trade verses as Donovan delivers goosebump-inducing vocals.

Guyula sings in his traditional Yolŋu Matha language, and for the chorus, Donovan trades Eilish’s well-known lyric for a Noongar-language version, her grandmother’s language.

Donovan also detailed her decision to cover such a well-known pop song in an interview with triple j.

Explaining that typically, when she thinks of cover songs, she thinks of older tunes, she decided to prioritise the collaboration with Drifting Clouds – describing herself as a “fan girl” – as well as NAIDOC Week and representation for younger Mob.

“BIRDS OF A FEATHER is pretty much the go-to song in the car with my daughters, and I’ve got a lot of memories of singing with my mother,” Donovan shared. “Honestly, I hope I get a few more mum points when they hear this!” She also discussed the significance of Eilish’s lyrics, as she believes in the themes of reincarnation.

While she was in the triple j studio, Donovan also performed her song, Some Things Can Never Be Bought. Check out her BIRDS OF A FEATHER cover, the behind-the-scenes interview, and her performance of Some Things Can Never Be Bought below.

This morning, it was announced that Emma Donovan’s recent album, Take Me To The River, has been nominated for Album of the Year at this year’s National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMAs). Plus, she appears again in the Song and Film Clip of the Year categories, as she features on Baker Boy’s nominated track, THICK SKIN.

Take Me To The River is a covers album packed with soul classics and finds Donovan “reconnecting with memory and place, guided by the enduring presence of water as a source of healing, community, and spirit.”

Donovan explained, “These songs chose me as much as I chose them. The river has always been central to my life; it’s where we gathered, where we healed, where we sang. Taking these songs back to the water felt like the most natural thing in the world.”

This year, fans will see her perform at festivals such as the Port Fairy Folk Festival and Great Southern Nights.