After a quick cover of “Mind Over Matter”, the titular single of Young The Giant’s re-defining 2014 album, Antigonish-based duo Moira & Claire rocketed to TikTok fame (is that a thing now?). The pair took the single from alt-rock to folk-pop, earning praise from the performer, along with a new audience.
Moira & Claire released a full version of “Mind Over Matter” today across streaming platforms. Where their TikTok and Instagram live-off-the-floor videos captured the ears of a new audience, the new release captures the band’s habitual high-polish finish.
“We did a short cover of “Mind Over Matter” on TikTok a couple of months ago and it got a lot of love (400k views) so we decided to release a full version,” says the duo. “On Instagram, the lead singer of Young The Giant commented on our cover, ‘Thanks for doing our song justice.’”
Swapping out Sameer Gadhia’s whispery falsetto and synths for the harmonies and acoustic guitar of Moira & Claire, the pair brings the song back down to earth. It becomes the heartfelt song of a young dreamer, shedding the veneer and breast-beating swagger of Young The Giant’s far glitzier take. The stripped-down version might not have the punch of a radio-ready original but feels like it does more to serve the lyrics.
Moira & Claire’s original version can still be seen on their Instagram account.
The single is the first to be released by Moira & Claire in 2020. Moira Bren, however, released “Afraid of Your Heart” back in March, which is expected to appear on her upcoming EP, 6 Is Green, set to be released later this summer.