Review Fix Exclusive: Angela Predhomme Talks ‘Stay With Me’ Cover And More

Review Fix chats with singer/songwriter Angela Predhomme on why she decided to cover the platinum Sam Smith track and more.

Review Fix: Why cover Sam Smith?

Angela Predhomme: I actually put a lot of thought into adding a few good covers into my live sets. Sam Smith, in my opinion, is one of the best new artists to break out in the past decade. Maybe I’m biased because his style isn’t too far from my own: he’s a singer-songwriter who writes melodic songs about feelings. That’s my kind of thing!

I had been singing “Stay with Me” at live shows, and the more I sang it, the more I enjoyed making it my own over time. So I thought, “Why not record it?”

For me, covering Sam Smith seemed like a natural choice for a few reasons. First, because I think he’s a phenomenal artist. Second, I imagined that my relatively bright female voice would offer an interesting contrast to the original version with his classic male voice.  And lastly, I love “Stay with Me” because it has such an intuitive, memorable melody. It’s very singable and hooky. It sticks in your head. I’m a sucker for those songs, because it just appeals to my own sense of music.

Review Fix: What else makes this song special to you?

Predhomme: The most compelling aspect of this song is its brave vulnerability. I think that’s part of Sam Smith’s appeal. He puts it all out there, no matter how desperate or exposed his emotions are. In “Stay with Me,” he voices what we’ve all felt at some point. Sam even owns the fact that it’s not a healthy attachment, but he still wants the relationship: “Oh, won’t you stay with me / ‘Cause you’re all I need / This ain’t love, it’s clear to see / But, darling, stay with me.” That kind of authenticity evokes a combination of sympathy, empathy, and straight up gawking at someone else’s drama. We can’t look away. That’s why this song is so powerful to me. There’s nothing subtle about it. It’s total ownership of that fear of abandonment that many of us know all too well.

Review Fix: How is your version different?

Predhomme: My cover of this song is a lot more chill, first of all. It’s as mellow as it gets – a stripped down, relaxing, moody piano-vocal with some sweet harmonies. My version of “Stay with Me” has no drums, synthesizers or layered instruments. It’s totally natural and organic — just me and the piano (plus another me in harmony). My version has a gentle passion, a tenderness. It’s music you could put on with candlelight or fall asleep to. My version feels like a late-night, intimate, heartfelt conversation.

Review Fix: What are your goals for this track?

Predhomme: My immediate goal is to give people some enjoyment by offering them an interesting version of a great pop song. My broader goal for this track is to grow awareness of my work among music listeners. Ideally, this might allow people to discover my original songs. I have a good-size catalogue of 5 albums and an EP. As a completely independent artist with no label support, really getting out there is a slow, gradual process. It’s a long game. My hope with any song I release is that someone will hear it, like it, save it, share it, and listen again. My hope is that my music will touch people and make them feel something. Every song I release serves to further that goal.

Review Fix: How do you think it affects the legacy of the song?

Predhomme: I think that covers solidify a song’s place in history. My version of this song, as well as others’, serves to validate the song as a timeless classic. For example, if you think about how many artists have covered The Beatles’ “Yesterday,” you see that its status as an iconic song is undeniable. It stands the test of time, as great songs do. I think my cover of “Stay with Me,” along with all the other covers of it out there, are also a testament to a special moment in time. Our covers cement the cultural significance of a remarkable song that broke out a unique and talented new artist to the world in 2014. I expect that Sam Smith will continue to be a major artist for decades to come, and this was his debut to many of us.

Review Fix: Who do you think will enjoy it the most?

vI’m going to leave this question wide open. I’m the worst at doing my own A & R, or predicting my audience. I’ve always been wrong about what songs of mine get some traction, and I’ve been wrong about who I think will like my music. You just never know. It could be a 14-year-old boy who also likes death metal, or it could be your mom, or both. I don’t know who will enjoy this cover, but maybe a logical answer could be that Sam Smith fans might like it. Or maybe not. Maybe the hardcore Sam fans would rather hear the original. But I’m going to be optimistic that some people will enjoy my girly little version of this song.

Review Fix: How do you want it to be remembered?

Predhomme: I’d like my cover to be remembered as one of the most intriguing and listenable versions of this mega hit, “Stay with Me.” I’d like people to think of it as an honest and fitting expression of this very well-written song. I can only hope that I’ve done the song justice.

Review Fix: What’s next?

vSo much is next! I’m releasing a new original holiday single, and I have some national media appearances scheduled toward the end of the year. Also, I’ll be releasing an album in 2021 that’ll include singles I’ve released in 2020 along with several new tracks. Truth be told, I love making music. I just can’t stop! It’s an addiction. So be on the lookout for new stuff from me!

Review Fix: Anything else you’d like to add?

Predhomme: About Sam Smith’s “Stay with Me,” I know about the legal snafu with Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down.” Do I think Sam and his cowriters James Napier and William Phillips consciously stole the melody from the Tom Petty song? No. And here’s why. This melody is SO natural and intuitive; it’s totally believable to me that someone could unknowingly duplicate that hook. It’s textbook ear-friendly pop composition. It uses a syncopated rhythmic phrase, and then repeats it with different notes over a different chord, making a classic melodic hook. There are only 12 notes in the scale, and a handful of chords. In any given era of music that shares a cultural style, it’s not surprising that similar melody lines might pop up. Tom Petty and his collaborators were brilliant pop songwriters, and I also think that Sam Smith is a brilliant pop songwriter in his own right. I’m sure Sam knows that he simply doesn’t need to plagiarize. The boy’s got skills.