Dutch-Morrocan producer R3HAB has joined forces with Australia’s own Amy Shark for ‘Sway My Way’, a fresh reimagining of Bic Runga’s 1997 single, ‘Sway’.
Arriving just one month after the 25th anniversary of the beloved New Zealand track, the nascent pairing has seen R3HAB provide a modest electronic instrumental of the single, with Amy Shark’s smooth vocals deftly recreating the tender emotion of the original.
“Every record reveals a new facet of the artist behind it,” R3HAB said in an accompanying statement. “‘Sway My Way’ might surprise some listeners, as it’s got a more organic and stripped-back feel than many of my singles, but I love the dynamic it brings. Amy is an incredible artist and a pleasure to work with, and I’m so glad she helped me bring this song to life.”
“I have a lot of family from New Zealand, so naturally I grew up loving Bic Runga, and her song ‘Sway’ was one that I loved so much,” added Amy Shark. “When R3HAB asked me to join him and put my spin on the song, I jumped at it.”
This isn’t the first time that ‘Sway’ has been recreated in recent years, either. In 2019, Bic Runga shared a re-recorded version of the single for the Waiata / Anthems compilation album. With the record seeing New Zealand artists re-recording their songs to change the original English lyrics to Te Reo Māori, Runga’s newly-retitled ‘Haere Mai Rā / Sway’ joined the likes of Benee and Shapeshifter on the acclaimed release.
