We’re finally getting a taste of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s long-anticipated Hamilton Mixtape, the compilation project co-planned by the Roots’ Questlove and set to feature Common, Alicia Keys, and dozens more. On Friday, Kelly Clarkson’s cover of “It’s Quiet Uptown” and the Roots’ take on “My Shot [Rise Up Remix]” dropped online in advance of the album’s official December release.
Clarkson’s vocal chops are a nice match for “Uptown,” the Act 2 song in which Hamilton and his wife Eliza grieve over their son’s death, even as her re-creation is mostly faithful to the original performance. And there’s great surprise and newfound energy to the Roots’ “My Shot,” with Busta Rhymes, Joell Ortiz, and Nate Ruess all on hand for their colorful remix. This is only a sample of what is to come, but if you’re among the many who have listened to the Hamilton soundtrack on a loop for the past year, there is finally something new to add to the mix.
Both covers are available for purchase on Apple Music and can be listened to below.
