There’s something special about a classic that still feels urgent decades later. Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good” has always carried weight—part show-tune anthem, part declaration of freedom—and Nashville’s Crys Matthews has just given it a fresh, intimate life. Her new Indie Pop reimagining, out now via Shamus Records, strips the song back while keeping every ounce of its power intact.
Matthews calls this version an embodiment of the things that drew her to Simone in the first place. Both are North Carolinians. Both grew up loving classical music and were raised in the church. With pianist Seth Glier on the keys, the track feels personal and close. The production leans into that intimacy: warm piano lines frame Matthews’ voice as she moves through the melody with clarity and conviction. It’s less orchestral sweep and more focused conversation, yet the boldness remains. Lines about freedom land with the same force they always have, only now they sit inside a quieter, more reflective arrangement that fits comfortably in Indie Pop playlists while still honoring its folk and blues roots.
Matthews is no stranger to making music that matters. She’s the first artist to win Song of the Year twice at the International Folk Music Awards (2022 and 2025) and was named 2024 Artist of the Year. Her work blends Country, Americana, Folk, Blues, and Bluegrass into performances steeped in traditional melodies and honest lyrics. A troubadour of truth, she has built a career amplifying unheard voices and reminding listeners that hope and love remain pathways toward equity and justice. Signing with TRO Essex Music Group and its label arm, Shamus Records, places her alongside catalogs that include Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and many other writers whose songs have outlasted their eras. This “Feeling Good” is the first single from Holidays & Evergreens, a collection of new recordings drawn from that historic TRO Essex back catalog.
In her own words, Matthews sees the song as a freedom anthem that still applies. Written by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse for the 1964 musical The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd, it was originally sung by a character called “The Negro” after winning a rigged game. Simone’s 1965 recording on I Put a Spell on You turned it into a standard. Matthews notes that the same structures of inequality the musical critiqued in 1960s Britain—and the far harsher realities in America—continue under new names. Singing “Freedom is mine” still feels revolutionary. That perspective gives the cover its emotional center without turning it into a lecture. The music stays open and inviting.
Covers of this stature keep finding new listeners for a reason. Simone’s influence stretches across genres in 2026, and artists continue to treat her catalog as both inspiration and challenge. Matthews’ take joins a long line of reimaginings while carving its own space—intimate enough for headphones, sturdy enough for a live room, and rooted in the social-justice songwriting tradition she has spent years refining. If you know the original, the differences in arrangement and pacing will stand out immediately. If you’re new to it, the melody and the message still hit clean.
Independent artists who want their own catalog to travel the same path have options that didn’t exist when Simone recorded hers. DistroKid makes it simple to distribute tracks to major platforms, and you’ll get 7% off your membership with this link: https://distrokid.com/vip/seven/2058328. It’s a practical way to reach more listeners while keeping more of what you earn.
What do you think of this version next to the original? Does the intimate piano arrangement change how the lyrics land for you? Drop your thoughts in the comments.
