RYAL - Father Figure (George Michael Cover)

Ahead of the release of their forthcoming debut debut full-length, Silver & Gold, due out in July, New York City-based alt-pop duo RYAL, comprised of singer/songwriter Jacque Ryal and renowned producer Aaron Nevezie, have today unveiled their heartfelt rendition of George Michael's 1987 hit "Father Figure", a moving tribute to one of Ryal's musical heroes, who she fell in love with when she was little, and whose catalog she revisits constantly for inspiration. She describes her version as a moody homage that’s not just a thank you, but a flower on the grave for one of her favorite pop stars of all time.

"I loved this song when I was a kid. I had no idea what I was singing about when I'd sing along as a child, so when we decided to cover it, there were a lot of 'whoa' moments with the lyrics - and what a powerful moment as a woman being able to sing lyrics 'I will be your father figure,'" Ryal tells Popdust, who premiered the track earlier today. "George Michael was an incredible singer-writer, so inherently the melody and lyrics were a big challenge. It was harder than I expected. It was an exercise in personas. We also made the decision to chop out the bridge...while we love the 80s cheese, we felt obliged to remove a bit of it. Hope George isn't upset with us from above."

Listen to "Father Figure" below.



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