Watch Jason Derulo turn Lorde’s ‘Royals’ into a sexy R&B ballad

Jason Derulo is “King Bee” in his new cover of Lorde’s “Royals,” which you can watch below.
The R&B singer performed “Royals” at BBC Radio 1’s “Live Lounge” — which also brought us Miley Cyrus’ amazing cover of Lana Del Rey’s “Summertime Sadness” — and he adds a soulful, smooth style to the song. There’s even a hint of hip-hop in the way Derulo spits Lorde’s now-famous verse “Cristal, Maybach, diamonds on your timepiece” (and a ton of irony in the gold chain around his neck). 
The stripped-down, acoustic arrangement highlights Derulo’s vocal range, especially when he harmonizes with his two back-up singers on the line “And baby I’ll rule (I’ll rule) (I’ll rule).” While this cover doesn’t hold the darkness of Lorde’s original, it’s a sexy interpretation of the hit.
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