THE GUARDIAN:
Sped-up versions of existing songs are becoming more popular than the original versions. But who’s behind the trend?
I’m listening to the accelerated, chipmunk voice of the British singer Raye on Escapism, a rebound-sex anthem that’s currently climbing UK pop charts. Raye actually has a low, brassy singing voice, but I’m not listening to her official version. This one is paced 150% faster than the original song, making it sound like Raye has just inhaled helium and is spitting out her lyrics like an auctioneer on Adderall.
Who wants to listen to a song that sounds like a triple shot of espresso? Perhaps more people than you might think.
The Escapism remix can be found on Sped Up Songs, a Spotify-produced playlist liked by more than 975,000 people. It runs over four hours and manipulates songs such as Steve Lacey’s recent TikTok anthem Bad Habits and older hits like Ellie Goulding’s Lights and Summertime Sadness by Lana Del Rey.
On YouTube, users upload hours-long videos of sped-up songs. One from last year has over 4.9m views and features 2000s pop songs loved by millennials – including Nelly Furtado’s Say It Right and Jennifer Lopez’s On the Floor – made faster to suit Gen Z’s preference for turbocharged beats.
