Sting releases incredible 'Englishman/African in New York' hybrid cover recorded from DIY studio

24 March 2021, 09:35

Sting has released a new hybrid lockdown version of his hit 1987 single 'Englishman in New York' with Beninese artist Shirazee entitled 'Englishman/African in New York' recorded from a DIY apartment studio.

Sting has reworked his famous hit song 'Englishman In New York' and has given it an twist.

To celebrate his latest album Duets, Sting appeared on NPR’s Tiny Desk (Home) Concert series and performed a three-song set from an apartment studio in New York City.

See more: Sting's 10 greatest songs ever, ranked

The UK singer was joined by Beninese artist Shirazee who recently recorded a cover of Sting's 'Englishman in New York' as 'African In New York'.

Sting reportedly loved the cover so much that he invited Shirazee to record the song for his new album and also sat down to record a hybrid of the two songs: 'Englishman/African in New York' for the special one-off performance.

See more: Moment Sting jumped on stage to join overwhelmed singer in rendition of 'Englishman in New York'

After singing the incredible duet, Sting exclaimed how great it was to be in the same room as another artist.

“I’ve been on my own for a year!” he said. “That’s the good thing about music, you know? You can connect…[but] actually sitting in the same room with somebody is a whole different chemistry.”

See more: Gary Barlow and Sting team-up for a fantastic Squeeze cover duet in Crooner Sessions video

Shirazee also confirmed how bizarre the situation was for him, as he's gone from covering the song in lockdown to singing it with Sting himself: “It’s a bit crazy,” he said.

Sting: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert

A flattered Sting said of 'African in New York': “I’m always delighted when artists take the template I’ve written and then make it better, make it different. It’s thrilling to me.”

See more: Sting performs The Police classics from home studio for ‘In My Room’ set - video

The pair have also filmed a music video they released on March 19, which shows Sting and Shirazee superimposed as they walk down famous New York streets and sing their new duet (below).

See more: Sting facts: Singer's age, wife, children, real name, net worth and more revealed

After his duet with Shirazee, Sting continued the 12 minute set with renditions of his hits 'If I Ever Lose My Faith in You' and concluded with 'Sister Moon'.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 🅢🅗🅘 🅢🅗🅘 (@shirazee)

Sting, Shirazee - Englishman / African In New York

Sting has just released his latest album Duets, a collection of his favourite musical collaborations across the decades.

The album features duets between Sting and other artists including Shaggy, Eric Clapton, Mary J. Blige and Julio Iglesias.

See more: Disturbed's cover of Sting's 'If I Ever Lose My Faith in You' is stunning

Critics have raved about Sting's new LP, with The Independent staying it's “a reminder that not only has the man been doing this for a long time, but when he does team up with a new artist, he strikes just the right balance in letting the featured player shine, and letting the song belong to them as well.”

The evolution of Sting