Modern life is weird. That’s why the No. 1 song on the Hot 100 chart is Jamaican singer Omi’s “Cheerleader,” a song that was actually released in 2012.
Well, kind of. The song that’s No. 1 right now is actually a new-ish edit by German producer Felix Jaehn, who utilized the song’s sunny pulse and reductive-but-harmless “I need a cheerleaadderrrr” coo for a relatively mellow EDM jam. It’s a testament to the recycle-ability of “Cheerleader,” for sure, but also a good example of how a song can be rebuilt and dropped on the public when the timing is a little better.
“Cheerleader” was, and has since been, a hit in Omi’s native Jamaica, but the sounds that populate this summer’s sweet spots — mostly dancehall influenced EDM jams — are the targets for Jaehn’s remix.
I’m not in love with “Cheerleader,” but I can’t say I’d be surprised if more Frankensongs like “Cheerleader” climb the charts in the next few years. When music can move at the speed of the Internet, people like Omi can go from “who?” to No. 1 in an instant.
