Courtney Love has shared a cover of Addison Rae’s “Diet Pepsi” — check it out below.
The grunge legend took to Instagram to share a heartfelt rendition of the track, originally from Rae’s acclaimed debut album “Addison.” Trading the pop star’s upbeat delivery for a more subdued vocal performance, Love described the song as “the saddest song.”
This latest collaboration follows another successful pop crossover for Love, whose iconic 1994 Hole track “Violet” was recently reimagined by Slayyyter for triple J’s Like A Version series, earning praise from the rock icon who called it “delightful.”
In a 1999 interview with NME, Love discussed her approach to pop music and crossing over into mainstream success, highlighting the differences between doing so in music versus film.
“I know how to get clear and embrace the mainstream for a movie,” she explained at the time. “I did that once and I did totally OK with it. There’s rules and regulations. You’re just selling the movie. It’s basic. But in music, it’s so much more complex and so much about what I have to say. I’m the director.”
Rae’s debut album received critical acclaim from NME, earning a four-star review that praised, “On this record, we learn that Rae’s greatest strength is her sensuality. Her silken voice is what sells the steaminess of smash hit ‘Diet Pepsi,’ and her soothing coo adds to the aching intimacy of trip-hop-inspired ‘Headphones On.'”
The album also secured the No. 2 spot on NME’s “50 Best Albums of the Year” list, with critics describing it as “one of the best pop debuts in recent memory: starry-eyed, enigmatic observations on love, fame and money for an era in need of its hedonistic ethos.”
Meanwhile, Love’s highly anticipated second solo album — her first since 2004’s “America’s Sweetheart” — is reportedly nearing completion. Earlier this year, she revealed that the project includes contributions from Echo & The Bunnymen guitarist Will Sergeant, though notably not PJ Harvey.
She also confirmed that the album will feature performances from her former Hole bandmate Melissa Auf Der Maur, who recently spoke to NME about the possibility of a Hole reunion, suggesting that current political climate might make such a collaboration more timely.
