James Mac & Vall, The Boy Is Mine | COVERS

In the 1st edition of COVERS (2025), James Mac and Vall deliver a compelling remake of “The Boy Is Mine” originally performed by Brandy and Monica.

Ah, it’s time to get cozy and cover up! In COVERS, we highlight a musician or band covering songs by another musician (likely a popular musician). COVERS focuses solely on the musician who covers.  It is open to established musicians and musicians who may not be as well-known. In the 1^st edition of COVERS (2025), James Mac and Vall deliver a compelling rendition of “The Boy Is Mine” originally performed by Brandy and Monica.

“You need to give it up, had about enough / It’s hard not to see, the boy is mine.” James Mac (James MacCallum) and Vall (Valentine Leveille), assisted by Rosalie, unveiled “The Boy Is Mine” in 2023.  Even with marvelous production by Mac and Vall behind the boards, “The Boy Is Mine” is a cover of the beloved, 1998 Brandy and Monica classic, “The Boy Is Mine.” The original was a multiplatinum single that appeared on two multiplatinum albums (The Boy is Mine by Monica and Never Say Never by Brandy). LaShawn Daniels, Brandy, Rodney Jerkins, Fred Jerkins III, and Japhe Tejeda composed the Grammy-winning duet.  A cover of such a massive hit has huge shoes to fill.

Mac and Vall superbly update the sound while preserving some of the classic cues of the original. The beat (giving Afrobeat and house) is nothing short of electrifying – lit to the nth degree. The percussive touches are magnificent.  The rhythmic guitars and keys also make the remix sweet. A quicker tempo helps establish the dance persona on the remake. Even so, the vocals by Rosalie are firmly planted in R&B. The singing is lush, playful, smoky, sultry, and warm. There are fewer vocals on this take, with intentionally repeated lyrics and omitted lyrics.  That also fits the dance aesthetic and differentiates it from the original.  What is not altered is the signature chorus – the big reason we all love “The Boy Is Mine”:

“You need to give it up, had about enough

It’s not hard to see, the boy is mine

I’m sorry that you seem to be confused

He belongs to me, the boy is mine.”

Brandy and Monica’s “The Boy Is Mine” is irreplaceable but James Mac, Vall, and Rosalie ‘put in work’ on their spirited, vibe-laden remake.

James Mac & Vall // “The Boy Is Mine” // Sweat It Out // 2023

James Mac & Vall, The Boy Is Mine: Covers No. 1 (2025) [📷: Brent Faulkner /The Musical Hype; Sweat It Out; Alan Cordero, Enrique, Wolf Art from Pexels; AcatXIo, OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay]