DMA’S Win Triple J’s Inaugural ‘Like A Version’ Contest

Lars Brandle
·3 min read

DMA’S cover of Cher’s ‘90s dance hit “Believe” is the winner of triple j’s inaugural Hottest 100 “Live A Version” countdown.

With their rendition of the Autotuned classic, the Sydney trio took off — and never came back down. The live performance clip, shot back in 2016 at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s studios, has amassed more than 12.5 million views on YouTube, and more than 40.5 million streams on Spotify.

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The cover, which strips the song back and showcases O’Dell’s impressive pipes, is now certified two-times ARIA platinum in Australia. What can’t be so easily measured is the joy it brings to fans every time the band performs it live.

“Thanks for the support for this cover,” the trio enthuse in a statement. “We never thought going into triple j it would get this kind of love – can’t wait to sing it all with you soon.”

“Like A Version” is a beloved weekly segment on triple j, Australia’s popular youth-focused network. For each episode, the musical guest is asked to play an original and a cover a favorite song. Since 2004, the likes of Childish Gambino, Lorde, CHVRCHES, Tame Impala, HAIM, Halsey, Arctic Monkeys and many others have answered the call.

DMA’S cover was something of a sweet accident. The bandmates “weren’t really prepared, but when I listen back to it,” O’Dell says in a backstory clip, “the fact we weren’t prepared, I feel kind of helped the [studio] performance, you can kind of hear that it has a bit of vulnerability to it.”

And when did it first stick? “We did it in soundcheck in Germany and it sounded good. And we had a laugh,” O’Dell explains. “It was kinda funny.”

Victory is no laughing matter for the indie-rock outfit, which is signed to I Oh You, a division of the Mushroom Group.

Earlier this year, the band’s fourth studio LP How Many Dreams?, blasted to No. 2 on the ARIA Chart, beaten only by Melanie Martinez’s Portals, for their fourth top 10.

In the U.K., where the group has a sizeable following, How Many Dreams? hit No. 3 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart, and was supported by a tour of city centers and regions, including a headline spot at London’s OVO Arena Wembley and the main stage of Reading and Leads Festival, for the band’s second top 5 U.K. slot.

Meanwhile, Triple j’s listeners voted Denzel Curry’s cover of Rage Against The Machine’s “Bulls On Parade at No. 2, and Ocean Alley’s cut of Player’s “Baby Come Back” at No. 3.

This September and October, DMA’S will make a triumphant homecoming with a national tour, spanning 18 shows across 16 cities and towns. Frontier Touring is producing.

See the full Hottest 100 countdown here and read more on DMA’S winner.

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