Kelleigh Bannen, Kalie Shorr & Lindsay Ell Empower Women With “Look What You Made Me Do’ Cover
“We realized after performing it in Kelleigh’s kitchen that the song took on a whole new meaning. It became part empowerment anthem...," Shorr explained.
When Kelleigh Bannen, Lindsay Ell and Kalie Shorr decided to join forces for an impactful Taylor Swift cover, they knew the song would become something more meaningful than ever before.
The three female country singers debuted their version of the hit pop single during the CMT Next Women of Country event in early November. Leaving the crowd in awe with their powerhouse vocals and sassy attitudes sprinkled throughout the cover, they also added their own unique touches to the song from Ell’s rocking electric guitar slings to Bannen’s strong yet steady alto range.
Although the performance left the crowd shocked yet pleased, the women all planned for a rendition that would make jaws drop over their talent and the song’s underlying message to girls everywhere.
“We realized after performing it in Kelleigh’s kitchen that the song took on a whole new meaning. It became part empowerment anthem and part protest song directed at anyone who has ever discounted, disrespected or harassed a woman. We stood united on that stage with three incredibly different sounds, coming together to make a statement at a time when women’s rights are at the forefront of the national conversation. I’ve never seen women support each other as much as they are at this point in history. I guess you could say that’s what the world made us do,” Shorr explained to People about the collaboration.
Making the moment even more important, Bannen expressed that doing the cover alongside her fellow female friend group wiped away any source of competition of jealousy in lieu of a mutual admiration for each of their talents on “Look What You Made Me Do” and their own individual work.
“There couldn’t have been a more perfect setting to get to perform the song — the CMT’s Next Women of Country event has meant so much to me, and has been such an encouragement to me over the last few years. It was an honor to share the stage with these two women, and I love the message of the song in this context — one of persevering in the face of challenges,” Bannen said.
Bannen, Shorr and Ell also dedicated their performance to benefit a nonprofit called RAINN, which helps out people in sexual violence situations.
Check out the video for the girls’ “Look What You Made Me Do” cover, and check out more information about RAINN’s mission online.
