Kungs & Cookin’ On 3 Burners, This Girl | 1 Hit WONDERful

In the 20^th edition of 1 Hit WONDERful (2024), we highlight “This Girl” performed by Kungs and Cookin’ On 3 Burners.

It only takes ONE hit to solidify a musical legacy 💯! On 1 Hit WONDERful, we highlight songs that were the SOLE hit by a given musician. Artists appearing here may have earned a minor hit or two. Ultimately, it’s that ONE hit that earned them recognition. So, in the 20^th edition of 1 Hit WONDERful (2024) we dive into “This Girl”  the one-hit wonder by Kungs and Cookin’ On 3 Burners.

“Money rains from the sky above / But keep the change cause I’ve got enough / A little time and some tenderness / You’ll never buy my love.” Woo! Kungs cemented his spot in pop music history thanks to a remix.  That’s right, the handsome Valentin Brunel, a French DJ and producer, earned top-40 success. “This Girl” peaked at no. 26 on the Billboard Hot 100. While that’s not an earth-shattering peak position, “This Girl” was certified platinum by the RIAA. In other countries, it earned more success.  It reached no. 1 in his native France, Belgium, and Germany.  It peaked in the top 10 in Austria, Italy, The Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK. Still, a dance remix of a 2009 song, “This Girl” by ‘Australia’s hardest-hitting Hammond Organ Trio,’ Cookin’ On 3 Burners (Lance Ferguson, Jake Mason, and Ivan Khatchoyan), impacting the U.S. pop charts is impressive.

So, what makes “This Girl” the sugar honey iced tea? The soulful vibes of the original record transformed into an exuberant dance cut, of course! The 2009 version features a slower tempo – it’s more laidback, steeped in soul. The keys, horns, and the contemporary soulful backdrop are a vibe. In Kungs’ hands, the tempo is quicker – a win. He adds bright keys and synths and drums that go hard.  These tweaks perfectly bring a song to a wider audience without compromising the musicianship exhibited by the original. The DROP is sick – FABULOUS! Kylie Auldist, the soulful singer on the original, remains a force on the remix, losing none of her punch. The songwriting by Cookin’ On 3 Burners remains awesome even if the aesthetic and sound of the record carry the most weight.  Deep analysis is not necessary though.  The excellence of “This Girl” speaks for itself.  Kungs has experienced success beyond this song outside of the U.S.. However, his one hit stateside will be forever beloved.

Kungs // Layers // Val Production / Island Def Jam // 2016

Kungs & Cookin’ On 3 Burners, This Girl: 1 Hit WONDERful No. 20 (2024) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Val Production / Island Def Jam; Elias Souza from Pexels; OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay]