If you’re not familiar with indie acoustic music, you’ve probably never heard of The Mayries. The Swedish duo, consisting of Matilda Ekevik and Sofi Lindblom, formed in 2017 and almost immediately gained attention for their acoustic covers of popular songs. Their first released single was a cover of Anne-Marie’s “Rockabye,” soon followed by a cover of Maroon 5’s “Don’t Wanna Know.” Although they are primarily known for covering songs from the 2000s and 2010s, they also recorded covers of “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” and “Heaven Is A Place On Earth,” as well as four songs by Bob Dylan.
The same can be said about The Mayries’ cover of “High Hopes” by Panic! At The Disco, which is also the song they are most known for. This song makes it onto a lot of Spotify playlists made up of acoustic covers. The Mayries’ version of “High Hopes” stays true to the original (more so than “I Will Wait”) while still slowing down the tempo a noticeable amount. These two songs highlight the lyrics rather than the instrumental backing track, which is a typical trait of many of The Mayries covers.
Covering “You Broke Me First” marked the first step in a new direction for The Mayries, as it served as the debut single from a very obscure musician. This is a sharp contrast to their usual covers of chart-topping hits. In 2021, The Mayries went back to covering popular songs, but this time the songs were from the past rather than ones that dominate radio in the 21st century.
Their most recent project involved recording covers of well-known songs from ‘90s boy bands. They kept the original tunes while still using their trademark technique of stripping back the accompaniment to just acoustic guitar and using harmonies rather than alternating who sings the verses. They also slightly altered the lyrics to ‘N Sync’s “I Want You Back” to create a unique version. After a few of these cover songs were released as singles, The Mayries compiled them into an EP titled “Boys,” the name being a tribute to all the original artists.
These ‘90s covers are so significant because The Mayries are playing into nostalgia. Songs like these continue to be listened to because they remind people of the popular music of their childhoods. By covering them, The Mayries attempt to bring them back, despite the fact that they aren’t well known enough to put their covers on the charts. But for the people who are familiar with their music, these ‘90s boy band covers definitely evoke fond memories for an influential decade in music history.
