Lauren Pritchard Covers TLC's 'Waterfalls' to Appeal to Urban Fans

Tennessee-raised solo artist Lauren Pritchard has adopted as a party piece a stirring cover of TLC's r'n'b classic, 'Waterfalls' -- thanks to a gig opening for Professor Green.

Known for her country-inflected pop, Pritchard goes for a more soulful approach on her version of the 1995 hit -- even including a rap at the end. The singer from Jackson has since included it in her live sets, with some performances recorded for the web.

Now Pritchard has revealed to Spinner that she came up with the idea ahead of a London date supporting the local rapper. "I was a bit nervous about what our audiences might be like, coming from opposite ends of the spectrum, so I wanted to do something that would bridge the gap. My audience is all over the place, old and young; his was straight urban."

Not that 'Waterfalls' was a random choice -- Pritchard had to find a number that meant something to her. "It was one of my favourite songs growing up and the album it was on ['CrazySexyCool'] was the first I bought with my own money. I don't think of myself as a rapper, but the message of the song is so strong, something I would want to say anyway, that it made sense."

You can see Pritchard and her band cover 'Waterfalls' here.