The song “Toxic” was originally written for Britney Spears, and even won a Grammy in 2005 for Best Dance Recording. With the immense success of the song, there is no wonder why it has been covered numerous times by bands such as Local H, The BossHoss, The Zoo, and even Kevin Federline’s ex, Shar Jackson.

However, none of these versions has been quite as impressive as the one done by bluegrass group Nickel Creek. As seen at the 2006 Lollapalooza performance and various other venues, the band rocks out to the song as Chris Thile sings falsetto and picks the melody on his mandolin.

The song is instantly upgraded as the electronic instruments are replaced by real ones. Sean
Watkins uses a string bass and violin to back Thile’s mandolin. Sara Watkins proves her vocal ability as she matches Spears’ high pitches with her “ahhs,” but has much more of an emotional and longing tone to her voice, which overshadows the pop princess.

The song is not only musically superior to the original, but also superior in entertainment value, as Thile shimmies and shakes along to the beat like Spears. It may have a more folky feel, but still has the same elements of pop that make it easy to dance to, keeping with the original appeal of the song.

This makes “Toxic” a worthy cover that is potentially good enough to make you forget about the original.

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