Days away from the August 28th release of TOKiMONSTA and Gavin Turek's joint album, You're Invited, the duo have released their soulful, beat-centric cover of Brandy's 1995 hit, "Best Friend."
TOKiMONSTA, also known as Jennifer Lee, and Turek lit up the room with this track at Baby's All Right in Brooklyn last month. As one of only a small handful of album release shows, fans were lucky if they could snag a ticket to either of the intimate events. Every square inch of Baby's cozy theater shook with enthusiasm. As Turek frolicked about the stage in her fringed white dress, Lee spun instrumentals that drifted far and wide enough to do the L.A. beat scene proud. "Best Friend" was only a smidgen of dozens of highlights from the night.
The modern-day cover starts with a soft piano melody; Turek's honey-smooth voice, graceful and pop-perfect, catches you in its swift glide. In true TOKiMONSTA fashion, the beat doesn't go off until the hook. And when it goes off, it goes off. Of course, Brandy's original track – '90s R&B to its core – remains politely untouched. Rather, it inspires something new for a different generation to appreciate.
Stream the cover of "Best Friend" below. Lee and Turek have not included the song on You're Invited; a free download is available.
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