The Versions

The Versions is the sixth studio album by Swedish singer-songwriter Neneh Cherry, released on June 10, 2022, through EMI Records.^[1][2] The project features ten tracks, primarily covers and one remix of songs from throughout Cherry's four-decade career, reinterpreted by an all-female and non-binary lineup of artists including Robyn, Sia, ANOHNI, and Greentea Peng.^[3][4] Curated by Cherry herself, the album pays homage to her influential catalog while highlighting intergenerational collaboration in contemporary music.^[5] The album opens with Robyn and Mapei's electronic take on Cherry's 1988 hit "Buffalo Stance," transforming its hip-hop roots into a pulsating dance track, followed by Sia's soulful rendition of "Manchild" from 1989's Raw Like Sushi.^[4][3] Subsequent tracks include ANOHNI's haunting cover of "Woman" (1996), Jamila Woods' R&B-infused "Kootchi" (1996), and Sudan Archives' innovative spin on "Heart" (1989), blending genres like trip-hop, pop, and electronic to refresh Cherry's originals.^[6][7] A standout is the bonus remix of "Golden" by Four Tet, tying back to Cherry's 2018 album Broken Politics.^[3] Critically, The Versions received positive reviews for its celebratory approach and the fresh perspectives it brings to Cherry's legacy, though some noted challenges in surpassing the impact of her iconic originals.^[4][6] The album underscores Cherry's role as a trailblazer in alternative pop and hip-hop since the late 1980s, influencing generations of musicians through her boundary-pushing style.^[3]

Background

Concept and development

The Versions was conceived as a collaborative rework of Neneh Cherry's back catalogue, aimed at honoring her musical legacy while passing the torch to emerging generations of female and non-binary artists. The project sought to reimagine her classic tracks through fresh interpretations, creating a bridge between her pioneering work in the late 1980s and early 1990s and contemporary sounds. This approach allowed newer voices to engage with Cherry's songs in ways that reflected their own artistic identities, emphasizing empowerment and continuity in women's contributions to pop and hip-hop.^[8][9] Development of the album originated from the 30th anniversary reissue of Cherry's 1989 debut Raw Like Sushi, announced in November 2019 and released in January 2020, which included initial remixes and sparked interest from collaborators, but expanded into a full project in the years leading up to its release.^[8][10] By focusing on inviting female and non-binary artists, the planning stages prioritized reinterpretations of key tracks such as "Buffalo Stance" and "Manchild," with contributors like Robyn and Sia selected for their personal connections to Cherry's music. The process involved organic growth, as artists proposed additional songs from her catalog, leading to a curated collection that balanced reverence with innovation.^[8][11] Central to the album's vision was updating the songs for contemporary audiences while preserving their original spirit of defiance, vulnerability, and cultural commentary. Cherry played a pivotal role in curating the lineup, personally reaching out to admired artists to ensure diverse and authentic interpretations that infused new energy into the material without diluting its emotional core. This curatorial emphasis fostered a sense of sisterhood and forward momentum, as Cherry described it as "a very beautiful way of celebrating what has been, but throwing it into the future and giving it new voices."^[8][11] The project also aligned with Cherry's receipt of the honorary Icon Award at the 2022 NME Awards, underscoring her enduring influence.^[9]

Tie to career milestones

The release of The Versions in 2022 marked a significant alignment with Neneh Cherry's career recognition that year, particularly her receipt of the Icon Award at the BandLab NME Awards on March 2, 2022, presented by her daughter Mabel.^[12] This accolade celebrated Cherry's enduring influence across genres, from her punk roots in the 1980s to her pioneering role in alternative rap and trip-hop, positioning the album as a timely reflection on her legacy just months later.^[13] The project's emphasis on collaborative reimaginings of her hits by a new generation of artists echoed the award's recognition of her as a trailblazer who bridged eras. In her acceptance speech, Cherry emphasized the foundational role of family, collaborators, and visionaries in her journey, stating, "But the fact is that none of it would have happened without the inner sanctum of my family, my extended family – you know who you are – and all the amazing visionaries that I’ve come up with. And all the new visionaries that are giving me life!"^[12] This sentiment directly resonated with The Versions, released on June 10, 2022, which featured contributions from artists like Robyn, ANOHNI, and Greentea Peng—many of whom Cherry described as carrying forward her creative baton.^[6][14] The album thus served as an extension of the Icon Award's themes, transforming personal milestones into intergenerational dialogue through music. The timing of The Versions further amplified Cherry's 2022 prominence, following the awards ceremony by approximately three months and reinforcing her status as an icon whose work continues to inspire contemporary creators.^[6] By revisiting her catalog in this collaborative format, the project not only commemorated her achievements but also highlighted the visionary partnerships that defined her career, as acknowledged in her NME speech.^[12]

Recording and production

Selection of collaborators

Neneh Cherry curated the collaborators for The Versions with a deliberate focus on female and non-binary artists who shared a personal admiration for her earlier work, aiming to create an all-women ensemble that reinterpreted her catalog through fresh perspectives. She personally compiled a wish list alongside her husband, producer Cameron McVey, and manager Robin McGregor, reaching out directly to invite contributors and encourage an intergenerational dialogue that bridged her 1980s and 1990s hits with contemporary voices. This process emphasized creative freedom, allowing artists to infuse the songs with their own influences while honoring Cherry's originals, resulting in over 10 participants who blended pop, R&B, and electronic elements across the album's 10 tracks.^[11] Guest vocalists were selected for their alignment with Cherry's vision of empowerment and artistic kinship, often citing long-standing fandom or mutual respect. For instance, Robyn and Mapei joined for a rework of "Buffalo Stance," with Robyn recalling her pre-teen obsession with the track as a key connection; Sia contributed to "Manchild," drawn by its thematic resonance; ANOHNI featured on "Woman," fitting her emotive style; Greentea Peng appeared on "Buddy X"; and Jamila Woods on "Kootchi," among others like TYSON (Cherry's daughter), Sudan Archives, Kelsey Lu, and Seinabo Sey. These choices highlighted artists from the next generation who could extend the songs' relevance, as Cherry noted the excitement of "throwing [her] music into the future."^[15][11] Producers were chosen for their stylistic compatibility with the album's eclectic reimaginings, ensuring a cohesive yet diverse sound. Devonté Hynes (of Blood Orange) produced "Buffalo Stance," bringing his R&B-inflected production expertise; Jesse Shatkin produced "Manchild," with his experience in lush, hip-hop-tinged arrangements; and Honey Dijon provided remixing and additional production, starting with an early "Buddy X" version that seeded the project and infusing house and electronic flair. This selection process not only amplified the collaborative spirit but also reinforced Cherry's intent to foster a nurturing space for women in music.^[16][1][17]

Production process

The production of Neneh Cherry's The Versions took place primarily between 2021 and 2022, aligning with the project's development following the 2019 reissue of her debut album Raw Like Sushi.^[15] Sessions occurred across various locations, including studios in London such as VSOP Studios and in New York City at Lounge Studios, reflecting the collaborative nature of the reworked tracks.^[1] The approach combined remote and in-person collaborations, allowing artists to reinterpret Cherry's originals independently before integrating her input. Cherry contributed vocals and programming to several tracks.^[1] Producers like Devonté Hynes handled specific tracks, including the reworking of "Buffalo Stance" featuring Robyn and Mapei, emphasizing a blend of personal connections and creative autonomy.^[6] Key techniques involved layering modern production overlays onto the originals, incorporating electronic elements to update Cherry's trip-hop and pop-rap roots for contemporary audiences—for instance, adding synth-driven textures and rhythmic reprogramming to evoke a 2020s vibe while preserving the songs' essence.^[4] The album was overseen by the EMI Records team, with final mixing handled at the aforementioned studios and mastering at Sterling Sound in Edgewater, New Jersey, completed in the months leading up to the June 10, 2022 release.^[1]

Musical content

Reworked styles and arrangements

The Versions features a blend of pop, R&B, electronic, and hip-hop reimaginings of Neneh Cherry's original songs, primarily drawn from her 1989 debut album Raw Like Sushi and her 1992 release Homebrew.^[3][4] These reworkings transform the source material through diverse genre shifts and instrumentation updates, often infusing contemporary electronic elements while preserving the foundational melodic structures of Cherry's hip-hop-inflected pop and R&B roots.^[17][3] Specific examples highlight these sonic evolutions. Robyn's version of "Buffalo Stance" (originally from Raw Like Sushi) adopts a slow, moody, trance-like style with a stripped-back arrangement featuring airy vocals, a trancey guitar riff, polite guitar lines, and apologetic beats, shifting away from the original's confident UK street soul and US hip-hop fusion toward a more subdued electronic-R&B vibe.^[17][3][4] Similarly, Sia's take on "Manchild" (also from Raw Like Sushi) replaces the original's stately orchestration with woozy synths and gritty hip-hop beats layered over lush elements, delivering a faithful yet raw pop-R&B interpretation that emphasizes emotional sincerity through contemporary production touches.^[4][17][3] Greentea Peng's rendition of "Buddy X" (from Homebrew) reimagines the track as a psychedelic garage piece with glitchy electronics and synthesized textures, evoking UK garage influences while introducing a cluttered two-step rhythm that contrasts the original's smoother hip-hop flow.^[17][3][4] Key changes across the album incorporate modern production techniques, such as electronic beats, synth-driven atmospheres, and string-heavy or violin-infused arrangements, which update the originals' 1980s and 1990s aesthetics without altering their core melodies—for instance, reducing rhythms to minimal bass drums and handclaps in tracks like "Heart" or slowing tempos to create space in "Kisses on the Wind."^[4][3] These shifts often blend hip-hop's rhythmic foundations with electronic and R&B flourishes, resulting in a cohesive yet varied soundscape that nods to current trends like garage and house remixes.^[17][4] The tracks' runtimes vary to suit these reworked formats, ranging from 2:47 for Greentea Peng's "Buddy X" to 5:08 for Robyn's "Buffalo Stance," allowing for expansive builds in electronic sections and more concise pop deliveries.^[18]

Themes and song origins

The Versions reinterprets songs from Neneh Cherry's extensive catalog, emphasizing core themes of empowerment, relationships, and social commentary that have defined her music across decades. These themes are rooted in personal and societal reflections, as seen in tracks like "Woman," which celebrates female strength and resilience as a feminist anthem, and "Kootchi," which explores sensuality and intimate desire.^[4] The collection highlights empowerment through self-assured narratives of independence and identity, relationships via emotional vulnerabilities in love and partnership, and social commentary on issues like gender dynamics and cultural shifts, drawing directly from Cherry's original compositions without altering their narrative essence.^[5] The songs originate from albums spanning the late 1980s to the 1990s, reflecting key phases in Cherry's career from hip-hop-infused pop to experimental electronica. For example, "Buffalo Stance" comes from her 1989 debut Raw Like Sushi, a breakthrough that blended rap and dance with themes of streetwise confidence. "Woman" and "Kootchi" are sourced from the 1996 album Man, where Cherry delved into mature explorations of femininity and physicality amid trip-hop influences. Other tracks include "Buddy X" and "Sassy" from the 1992 release Homebrew, addressing relational complexities and bold attitude, while "Heart" and "Manchild" trace back to Raw Like Sushi, offering early commentaries on emotional turmoil and societal expectations of masculinity. This temporal range underscores Cherry's evolution, with the reworks preserving the originals' conceptual depth while inviting fresh interpretations.^[5][3] Guest artists infuse personal spins that enhance the thematic layers, often amplifying emotional or cultural resonances. ANOHNI's rendition of "Woman" delivers an introspective, world-burning ballad that deepens the song's feminist empowerment, transforming its declarative stance into a haunting meditation on gender and endurance. Similarly, Jamila Woods brings soulful nuance to "Kootchi," heightening its sensual undertones through layered vocals that evoke intimate connection. These adaptations maintain fidelity to the source material's relational and social insights, allowing collaborators to reflect their own experiences—such as Robyn and Mapei's collaborative take on "Buffalo Stance," which softens the original's vigor into a polite yet empowering groove—while varying the collection's emotional palette.^[3] To add diversity, the album includes one remix: Honey Dijon's house reimagining of "Buddy X" (from 1992's Homebrew), transforming the original hip-hop track into an epic dance-floor anthem with pulsating beats.^[17]

Release and promotion

Release details and formats

The Versions was released on June 10, 2022, by EMI Records, a division of Universal Music Group.^[20][9] The album became available in multiple formats, including digital download and streaming on platforms such as Spotify, as well as physical editions on CD and vinyl LP.^[21][22] The vinyl LP was offered in a standard black edition, alongside limited editions featuring alternative colors or packaging to appeal to collectors.^[23][1] Physical releases carried the catalogue number EMICD2060.^[24] Pre-release anticipation for the album was heightened by Neneh Cherry's receipt of the Icon Award at the NME Awards on March 2, 2022, spotlighting her career and the project's collaborative spirit.^[6][12] The release followed the rollout of promotional singles earlier in the year, setting the stage for the full album's debut.^[9]

Singles and marketing efforts

The lead single from The Versions, "Buffalo Stance" reimagined by Robyn featuring Mapei and produced by Dev Hynes, was released digitally on March 3, 2022, serving as the first preview of the album's collaborative approach to Cherry's catalog.^[25] This track, a modern electronic rework of Cherry's 1988 hit, was accompanied by a music video directed by India Sleem, emphasizing themes of empowerment through vibrant visuals and guest performances.^[26] No further official singles followed, though "Manchild" featuring Sia was shared as a promotional preview on April 28, 2022, with a lyric video to build anticipation ahead of the album's June 10 release.^[27] Marketing efforts for The Versions were closely aligned with Cherry's receipt of the NME Icon Award in March 2022, presented by her daughter Mabel, which celebrated her enduring influence and helped spotlight the project's all-female collaborator lineup.^[12] Cherry participated in interviews across outlets like NME and The Guardian, where she discussed the personal connections to collaborators such as Robyn and Sia, underscoring the album's theme of intergenerational reinterpretation.^[6][4] Additional strategies included social media teasers on platforms like Instagram and Twitter, featuring short clips of guest artists performing snippets to engage fans and highlight the reworked arrangements.^[28] Limited-edition physical bundles, available through retailers like Record Store Day participants, offered signed art cards alongside vinyl and CD formats to incentivize collectors.^[29] Targeted streaming efforts secured placements on Spotify editorial playlists such as New Music Friday and Women of Sound, aiming to reach diverse audiences through algorithmic recommendations.^[21]

Reception

Critical reviews

Upon its release, The Versions received generally favorable reviews from critics, earning a Metacritic aggregate score of 67/100 based on 8 reviews.^[30] In The Guardian, Alexis Petridis awarded the album 3 out of 5 stars, praising its intergenerational appeal through collaborations with contemporary artists but noting an uneven quality across the reworks.^[4] Similarly, NME's Rhian Daly gave it 4 out of 5 stars, describing the covers as "tributes befitting an icon" and highlighting the respectful yet innovative updates to Cherry's catalog.^[6] Pitchfork's Ben Cardew rated it 6.8 out of 10, commending the successful modernization of hits like "Buffalo Stance" while acknowledging the project's occasional predictability.^[3] Critics frequently praised the fresh interpretations provided by guest artists such as Robyn and Sia, which injected new energy into Cherry's originals and underscored her enduring influence.^[6][3] However, some reviews pointed to criticisms that certain reworks remained too faithful to the source material, limiting their transformative potential.^[4] The album's release, coinciding with a retrospective framing of Cherry's career, contributed to its positive critical context as a celebratory milestone.^[6]

Commercial performance

The Versions achieved modest commercial success upon its release. In the United Kingdom, the album debuted and peaked at number 53 on the Official Albums Chart for the week ending June 23, 2022, spending one week in the Top 100.^[31] It performed similarly on component charts, reaching number 44 on the UK Album Downloads Chart and number 57 on the Official Physical Albums Chart, both for one week, indicating sales driven primarily by digital downloads and physical copies such as vinyl.^[31] Internationally, the album had limited chart impact, with no Top 100 entry on the US Billboard 200.^[32] As of November 2025, the album had garnered over 5 million streams on Spotify, contributing to its ongoing digital presence.^[33]

Track listing

All tracks are covers or remixes of songs from Neneh Cherry's previous albums, produced in collaboration with the featured artists.^[1][34]

Personnel

Musicians

The Versions showcases a collaborative ensemble of vocalists and performers, emphasizing an all-female and non-binary lineup that reinterprets Neneh Cherry's catalog through diverse stylistic lenses. Lead vocals are delivered by Neneh Cherry across multiple tracks, complemented by guest leads from Robyn and Mapei on select cuts, Sia bringing her distinctive timbre to others, and ANOHNI contributing ethereal interpretations.^[5] Further vocal highlights include Greentea Peng's soulful delivery, Jamila Woods' introspective style, Sudan Archives' innovative flair, Seinabo Sey's powerful range, Mabe Fratti's experimental edge, and TYSON's dynamic performance, each assigned to specific tracks as outlined in the album's track listing.^[21] This roster underscores the album's commitment to female and non-binary performers, with no male musicians receiving prominent credits, fostering a space for underrepresented voices in reworking Cherry's originals.^[35] Background vocals are provided by various guests, enhancing the layered harmonies throughout. On the instrumentation front, Devonté Hynes contributes keyboards to build atmospheric textures, while Jesse Shatkin handles drums and programming to drive rhythmic foundations on key tracks.^[1]

Additional production credits

The production team for The Versions featured a range of collaborators handling engineering, mixing, and mastering duties across its tracks. Jesse Shatkin served as producer, engineer, and mixer for "Manchild" (track 2), with assistance from Samuel Dent on engineering.^[20] Other engineering contributions included Rick Fritz for "Kootchi" (track 5), Riccardo Damian for "Sassy" (track 6) with assistant Hugh Fothergill, and Sudan Archives for "Inna City Mama" (track 7).^[20] Mixing was led by Shatkin on track 2, Anohni and Thomas Bartlett on "Woman" (track 3), Matt Hennessy on track 5, Tom Carmichael on track 7, and Mikaelin "Blue" Bluespruce on tracks 1, 4, 6, 8, and 9.^[20][36] Mastering for the album was performed by Joe LaPorta at Sterling Sound in Edgewater, New Jersey.^[1] Additional production oversight came from Neneh Cherry herself, who contributed programming throughout most tracks and executive-produced the project alongside her core team.^[18]