Swedish icons Robyn and Neneh Cherry reveal reinvented version of classic hit 'Buffalo Stance'
Image: Juergen Teller
A young Swedish artist by the name of Neneh Cherry changed the music scene forever in the late 1980s with her singularly unique take on music, fashion, attitude and her unapologetic owning of her femininity. She first came to attention with the hit single ‘Buffalo Stance’ which hit number 3 in both the UK and US and number 21 in Australia before going on to have multiple hit singles throughout the 1980s and 1990s. She has remained an important presence in the music industry, with her last album Broken Politics appearing in 2018 and just yesterday she was awarded the Icon Award at the 2022 NME Awards, presented to her by her daughter, global singing superstar Mabel.
Today sees Cherry shares a reinvented version of ‘Buffalo Stance’, transformed by fellow Swedish music icon Robyn, with the iconic rap recreated by Mapei. It is a textbook example of how to do a great cover version - the song is totally transformed while retaining key components of the original that emotionally connect with long time lovers of the track. Slowed down, and more stripped back with a less traditional structure, Robyn has dipped the track into scandipop cool and like everything she does is effortlessly brilliant.
“I love that I could write an essay with all the things I could say about Robyn and I love that she leaves me speechless at the same time,” Cherry says. “Her talent is soulful because she leads with her heart and spirit, she is absolutely there, ever present with honest intensity in her offerings which leave me blubbering with hairs standing erect on my arms and legs, dancing on my own talking to myself with a feeling that everything is going to be alright. I’ve known Robyn for three decades, she is my sister, my friend, my family, a creative inspiration. So to have Robyn doing her version of a new life interpretation of ‘Buffalo Stance’ is an absolute honour…and with [producer] Dev Hynes and Mapei, this is what dreams are made of!”
Robyn’s fresh new take of ‘Buffalo Stance’ is the first release in the next era of Neneh Cherry, with a collaboration album set to be released later this year.
‘Buffalo Stance’ is out now. You can buy and stream here.
To keep up with all things Neneh Cherry you can follow her on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
To keep up with all things Robyn you can follow her on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
To keep up with all things Mapei you can follow her on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
