Genesis OwusuIt was Genesis Owusu’s turn to return to the triple j studios and deliver another unforgettable Like A Version, and that’s exactly what he did.
Flanked by a full band, including backing singers, Owusu presented a stunning take of The Rolling Stones’ classic, Paint It, Black. Retaining the original song’s key melodies, drum intro, and rock and roll feel, he and the band added some soul, a surprise rapped verse, and a guitar solo.
With the performance, Owusu proved his reputation as a trailblazing genre-bender—you can’t pigeonhole him, and you shouldn’t try to. You can watch the performance below.
In addition to his Like A Version, Owusu discussed the decision to cover a song as iconic as Paint It, Black and performed one of his own songs, Stampede.
Explaining that he first heard the song on Guitar Hero 3 “as a young boy,” Owusu said that Paint It, Black has stood the test of time, not just for him, but for the world.
“It’s a song that has lived many lives, and I was honoured to take the challenge in putting my own spin on it,” he continued, describing the track as “a testament to our perseverance.”
“I kind of wanted to hit it on the nose and paint it black,” Owusu explained. “I wanted to add the funk in the basslines, the gospel in the keys, the soul in the backing vocals, and the hip-hop—really accentuating where the foundation of these sonics came from.”
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Owusu added that the cover became a “fusion of sounds”—much like his own music—after initial rehearsals started in the funk vein and evolved into what we’ve seen today.
It’s a big day for Genesis Owusu. The Get Inspired hitmaker released his new album, REDSTAR WU AND THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE, today. Last night (14 May), he launched into his highly anticipated national tour in support of the album.
“I started writing this album because I was seeing so much of the world and watching what was happening,” Owusu explained of the album.
“I felt like I had something important to say. I was writing this almost out of necessity because there were so many people not saying what needed to be said. I feel like I’m a student of Nina Simone, and she said, ‘the purpose of an artist is to reflect the times they live in’.”
