Cover Story: Ethel Cain Hauntingly Twists Britney Spears’ “Everytime”
Ethel Cain and her harmonica put an ethereal spin on pop legend Britney Spears’ emotional ballad, “Everytime.”
Written by Claire Hookstra
Photos courtesy of Josefina Santos and Markus Klinko
If there is one thing that withstands the test of time in the music world, it is the power of a feminine heartbreak ballad. Feelings of regret, confusion, and pure despair put to booming instrumentals never fail to captivate listeners. Following the infamous 2002 breakup of pop icons Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake, Spears released her fourth studio album, In the Zone. Here lies the vulnerable and emotive ballad, “Everytime,” tucked away as the 12th track. The introspective, devastating breakup anthem sympathizes with those who long for their recently lost love and question if they were the problem in their past relationship all along.
An unexpected contrast to her typical danceable and upbeat hits, “Everytime” showcases a more somber side of Spears’ musical range. The song offers an intimate look into Spears’ struggles surrounding her forlorn state after the breakup, which offered a vulnerable look into the aftermath of the singer’s highly publicized relationship with Timberlake. “Without my wings / I feel so small / I guess I need you baby,” she longs throughout the track.
In March of 2022, almost two decades following the song’s original release, rising ambient-pop musician Ethel Cain released a hauntingly-beautiful rendition of the song in honor of International Women's Day. “I’ve always loved this song and immediately knew I could take Britney’s melodies and make something super dreamy with it,” Cain told Alternative Press Magazine. Known for her Southern gothic aesthetic and ultimately horrific subject matter throughout her discography, this match seems unimaginable. However, Cain completely bends the track to fit her atmospheric and all-consuming sound. Through expelling the bridge and adding intense vocal stylings, Cain creates a cover of “Everytime” that is nearly unidentifiable from the original.
Cain entirely changes the sound of the song. The original sweet, yet somber piano melody is exchanged for a stripped-back acoustic riff. Cain ditches the longing attitude of Spears for a ghastly and ominous tone. These sonic changes alter the viewpoint of the heartbreak from one of despair to one of definitive permanence. Cain manifests a persistent idea of grief and defeat, which is reflected in the steady, dark guitar strums. The romance is not something she will gain back, but that does not imply that she refrains from mourning the past.
In addition to the guitar elements, Cain stays true to her macabre Americana sound by incorporating a harmonica after the first chorus. Slight but intentional, the sequence of drawn-out notes is held throughout the second verse of the song before being replaced with percussion. Harmonicas, commonly coupled with the blues, create a sort of idealized sadness in the songs they are featured in, and this cover is no exception. The addition of the bluegrass instrument not only continues to push Cain’s take on the acceptance of heartache, but adds maturity to the track. The tin cry of the harmonica creates a well-developed and morose tone. At the time of their “Everytime” releases, both Spears and Cain were in their early 20s, yet the two display two dissimilar responses to love gone wrong. While Spears yearns for the love to return, Cain is able to accept its utter defeat.
Though aesthetically clashing, these two artists compare in their vocal prowess. Cain’s shadowy voice is a trenchant change from the original breathy and high-pitched voice of Spears. While their singing styles create a stark contrast, both artists encapsulate the pain and agony one experiences with heartbreak with their chilling vocalizations. Rather than singing the original bridge, Cain vocalizes a quivering harmonization. Evident throughout her work on Preacher’s Daughter, these distorted sounds further establish the grim take on the pop ballad. Looming and inauspicious, the menacing vocals of Cain intensely contrast the pleasant voice of Spears.The bridge is an apology by Spears for any wrongs she may have pursued in the relationship. “I may have made it rain / Please, forgive me,” Spears begs before concluding the bridge with one last plea: “This song’s my sorry.” In her cover, Cain disregards Spears’ apologetic bridge, alluding that she may continue to hold onto the visceral pain she endured through the romance but does not seek atonement.
Cain’s deep voice adds an intense depth to the overall sorrowful mood. The painful sounds of her repeatedly whining “No,” escalate the interlude, as do the heavier synths and more tumultuous guitar riffs. Here, as the track climaxes sonically, Cain realizes that these feelings of desperation are taking over her thoughts as the song suddenly becomes quiet. “And every time I try to fly, I fall / Without my wings, I feel so small,” Cain remorses. She tries to convince herself that she is still worth something without the relationship, though she continues to fail herself again and again.
In another arrangement change, Cain prolongs the song’s outro and repeats the closing line, “I guess I need you, baby,” three times. This repetition is quiet as the cover song fades away, as if Cain is realizing just how empty she feels without her partner. Her cover’s closing packs a punch not found in the original’s, establishing the cover artist’s earnest and grisly style. Ending the track on an uncanny note, Cain leaves the story of her struggles over the heartbreak unconcluded. She is still working through the turmoil the breakup caused and working toward accepting the doomed fate of the relationship.
Ethel Cain’s cover of “Everytime,” a personal narrative by Britney Spears, highlights the agony of heartache in a devastatingly dreamlike way. Disregarding the bridge and administering her interludes and utterances, Cain completely transforms the song into an otherworldly acoustic ballad. Her use of acoustic guitar, harmonica, and gnarly vocals creates an old-timey and country alteration to the song. While Spears incorporates several varied vocal inclinations in the original “Everytime,” Cain’s are vastly more eerie, morose, and ethereal. Turning a sweet-sounding anecdote into a grim retelling of internal emotions, she completely transforms the song into a mysterious masterpiece. Evocative, nostalgic, and stirring, Cain’s “Everytime,” shines a new, dim light on the Spears pop heartbreak ballad.