St. Vincent Debuts Colbert's Under The Covers with Bowie Cover

St. Vincent, the stage name of musician Annie Clark, launched a new musical segment on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Wednesday night by delivering a rock-infused cover of David Bowie's 1975 classic "Young Americans." The performance marked the debut of "Under The Covers," a series featuring artists reinterpreting notable songs from other performers.

Clark's rendition transformed Bowie's proto-disco original into a guitar-driven, post-punk-leaning track, highlighted by her intense vocal delivery and theatrical flair. Dressed in a cadet cap and arm-length black gloves, she leaned into the microphone while pantomiming the lyrics, building to an operatic a cappella breakdown on the line "break down and cry." In a nod to contemporary politics, she altered the song's reference from President Nixon to President Biden, echoing Bowie's original commentary on American disillusionment. The performance also included a closing line, "I'm afraid of Americans," paying homage to both Bowie and Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor. Backing the set was drummer Mark Guiliana, known for his work on Bowie's final album, Blackstar.

Before taking the stage, Clark joined host Stephen Colbert...