Francesco Gives Kendrick Lamar’s “Swimming Pools (Drank)” A Lovely Acoustic Cover: Idolator Premiere

Carl Williott | June 7, 2013 6:00 am

Meet Francesco, yet another Canadian singer with a YouTube cover game good enough to launch him into the big leagues. At 17, he already has six years of songwriting under his belt, and he also plays the piano and guitar. Francesco has covered Drake, Frank Ocean and Miguel, most recently turning the latter’s “Adorn” into a piano-based ode. We’re excited to premiere his latest cover, an acoustic reinterpretation of  Kendrick Lamar‘s “Swimming Pools (Drank).”

The song was a deceptively downtrodden affair in K-Dot’s hands, but Francesco’s acoustic treatment turns it into a gorgeously sad lament. His mature, silky voice makes it easy to forget that the dude singing is probably too young to know much about the song’s central vice.

Check out Francesco’s beautiful cover up top, and you’ll see why Atlantic was so quick to sign him, and why he was able to enlist pop assassins like Jeff Bhasker, Rob Knox and Nate “Danja” Hills for his forthcoming debut album.

Let us know what you think of the Francesco’s cover in the comments below, or on Facebook and Twitter!