T-Pain's 'Tennessee Whiskey' cover without auto-tune has the internet going wild
In this image released on November 26, T-Pain performs onstage at Soul Train Awards 2023 on November 19, 2023 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images for BET)
T-Pain has made a name for himself by popularizing the use of autotune. Now, the internet is going wild over his voice without it.
The rapper, producer and singer-songwriter shared a performance of a "Tennessee Whiskey" cover on his social media accounts this week. And all the internet could say was "WOW."
The video is now available on YouTube, T-Pain said, and the song is included in an album version he released on streaming services Friday.
T-Pain has no qualms about the use of autotune. It’s not the only thing that skyrocketed him to stardom, but it’s what defined his career.
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"I actually heard it - it was a Jennifer Lopez song, a Darkchild remix, and she used it for, like, two seconds on the song. And from then on, I was like, I got to find that thing," T-Pain told NPR in 2023. "And once I found it, I knew that was going to make me different because up until then I had just been singing and singing, and that was the solution right there. Autotune to the rescue."
In a 2023 interview with NPR, T-Pain addressed the criticism he’s faced for using so much autotune in his music.
In this image released on November 26, T-Pain attends Soul Train Awards 2023 on November 19, 2023 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET)
"So, you know, if it was so bad, then why was it everywhere?" he said. "People thought that was what was making my songs. And I'm like, no, you still got to make good songs. You can't just throw on Michael Jordan's shoes and think that you're going to be the greatest basketball player of all time. It's just not going to happen.
In 2021, T-Pain told The Associated Press he’s thankful for the fans and music-lovers who appreciate his style – autotune and all.
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"I see it sometimes, man," T-Pain responded. "And it does break through the negativity a lot… As an artist and as a public figure, we always see the negative first. That’s just what happens first. When we sit down and actually relax and chill out and stop trying to impress everybody, we do get to see the appreciation. And that’s where I am in my life. I’m actually chillin’, relaxing and sitting back and enjoying it."