Ryland James, You’re Still My Man | COVERS

In the 38th edition of COVERS (2024), Ryland James delivers a compelling rendition of “You’re Still My Man” originally performed by Whitney Houston.

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 38^th edition of COVERS (2024), Ryland James delivers a compelling rendition of “You’re Still My Man” originally performed by Whitney Houston.

“You’re still my man / Nothing can change it / We still belong together.” Aww, how dedicated Ryland James, you handsome, talented fella, you 😍! However, the Canadian musician wasn’t the first to sing those ‘tethered’ lyrics (despite the end of a relationship, mind you).  The late, great Whitney Houston originally sang “You’re Still My Man” on her 1987 tour de force, Whitney. It takes big vocals and a lot of courage to cover a Whitney song.  Houston was a once-in-a-lifetime vocalist. Houston was not a songwriter. “You’re Still My Man” was written by Gerry Goffin and Michael Masser.  James has no issue with tackling this rarely covered song from a male perspective: he identifies as queer.

James makes “You’re Still My Man” his own, with more of a ‘pop-leaning’ sound than the original.  He sings radiantly, showing off his distinct, expressive, and nuanced pipes. The falsetto notes he hits are glorious. He is accompanied initially by piano as he laments the union with his man.  “And the feelings between us / Will never disappear,” he sings in the first verse, continuing, “How can you be far away / When you’re spirit’s here?” In the second verse, he’s certain “soon you’ll be missing me,” adding “There’s a magic we share together / And no one can break that spell.” As the song progresses, the accompaniment expands including strings, bass, and drums.  The most powerful section of the song is the outro, where Ryland shows how dynamic and powerful he is as a vocalist.  The ad-libs and riffs are on point showing why he deserves far more recognition in the United States (so talented). He navigates the key changes soundly, one of the harder aspects of this big, big song. Covering Whitney Houston is no easy task, but Ryland James does a fabulous job with “You’re Still My Man”.

Ryland James // “You’re Still My Man” // 21 Entertainment Group // 2024

Ryland James, You’re Still My Man: Covers No. 38 (2024) [📷: Brent Faulkner /The Musical Hype; 21 Entertainment Group; Alan Cordero, Ba Tik, Kampus Production, Matteo Milan, SHVETS production from Pexels; OpenClipart-Vectors, StockSnap, Vicki Hamilton from Pixabay]