MAY-A's Grunge-Infused Cover of Stevie Nicks' 'Edge of Seventeen' Turns Heads
Australian singer-songwriter MAY-A delivers a unique, distortion-heavy reimagining of Stevie Nicks' classic 'Edge of Seventeen' for triple j's Like a Version.
The Sydney singer-songwriter brought a distortion-heavy reimagining of the 1981 classic.
MAY-A, the Australian singer-songwriter, has recently unveiled her distinctive take on a timeless classic.
The 24-year-old talent from Sydney covered Stevie Nicks’ 1981 hit “Edge of Seventeen” for triple j’s Like a Version. The performance, which aired on Friday, March 20, showcased a grunge-infused, guitar-driven reworking. This rendition stripped away the original’s iconic riff, rebuilding the song with a fresh, modern energy.
With her live band backing her, MAY-A began with a controlled, vocally-focused arrangement. The track then evolved into a heavier soundscape, highlighted by a distortion-heavy second half featuring both guitar and bass solos.
The new approach allowed MAY-A’s vocals to shine, balancing a delicate tenderness with a raw, rock-edged delivery. Guitarist and collaborator Chloe Dadd played a pivotal role in shaping the arrangement, which was refined through extensive experimentation during rehearsals.
“When we started playing around with the idea of this song, we just played it in so many different ways,” MAY-A explained. “And my guitarist Chloe, she sort of built out the tracks.”
The song choice was intentional. MAY-A mentioned wanting to cover a song connected to Nicks because of her unique way of writing about loss.
“I haven’t seen someone write about grief and loss in such a powerful and strong way,” she said, describing it as “unique and inspiring.” The triple j team had earlier teased the cover by sharing a School of Rock scene on Instagram Stories.
The Like a Version appearance also included a performance of “Last Man on Earth” from MAY-A’s debut album Goodbye (If You Call That Gone), which was released on February 20.
In a recent interview with The Music, the artist, born Maya Cumming, discussed her early influences in rock music, citing Sonic Youth, Bikini Kill, Paramore, Hole and Evanescence.
“I was never from this scene — I was always a Taylor Swift pop girl — so when I got into rock in my teens, I felt like a fraud,” she said. “These women made me feel seen, and made me realise I didn’t need to fit into all of these moulds I’d made for myself. I had to carve my own space.”
Regarding the album, MAY-A noted her deliberate resistance to commercial trends. “This album is a slow burn; you have to sit with it. I deliberately didn’t make it hi-fi, or really catchy and full of hooks. This was as raw as I could make it.”
MAY-A’s Goodbye (If You Call That Gone) tour begins April 2 at The Princess Theatre in Brisbane, with subsequent dates in Sydney, Melbourne, Fremantle, and Adelaide. The Like a Version performance was part of triple j’s expanded March schedule, which doubled its weekly output to include both Friday and Tuesday sessions throughout the month.
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