Magdalena Bay have made their Like A Version debut, taking on David Bowie’s 1980 art-pop oddity ‘Ashes to Ashes’—and yes, it’s as gloriously weird as you’d hope.
The LA-via-Florida duo leaned hard into their theatrical side for the cover, dragging Bowie’s already-eccentric classic through a prism of synths, vocoder quirks, and tightly wound chaos. It’s high-gloss and maximalist, but never messy. Think neon-lit cabaret in the uncanny valley.
Frontwoman Mica Tenenbaum delivered the vocals with a glitchy detachment that mirrored Bowie’s own existential haze, while the band’s signature retro-futurist edge pulsed through every programmed beat. It’s truly ridiculous but in the best way possible.
“I drew a lot of influence from his ideas of being an artist and what it means to create art,” Tenenbaum said of Bowie before the performance. “I found it very inspiring as we went into the creation of our latest album, Imaginal Disc.”
The performance doesn’t try to out-weird Bowie. I think everyone know’s that would be a fool’s errand. What it does do though, is honour his restless creative spirit. It’s more of a homage than reinvention, but with enough flair to make it still unmistakably Magdalena Bay.
And yes, the keytar officially joins the Like A Version hall of fame, slotting in next to past appearances from Yeo and The Wiggles. I must say, there’s something deeply satisfying about seeing a band that already exists in its own surreal universe doubling down in such an unashamedly theatrical way.
Alongside the cover, Magdalena Bay also performed ‘Image’ from Imaginal Disc, bringing the same energy to their original work. If this is your first brush with the duo, expect glossy chaos, future-shocked pop, and a side of existential dread.
Watch both performances below. I would preferably do it with headphones and an open mind. Just saying.
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