Bryce Hitchcock

This week's episode of Atlanta closes its observation of uncomfortable whiteness with a cringeworthy acoustic cover of Paper Boi's hit song. The cover song plays during the closing credits as a lasting reminder of appropriation, desperate allies, and the delicate conversations between black and white people. Besides a necessary Jeezy song during the title card, this Paper Boi cover is the only other music in the episode—a rarity for a show like Atlanta.

And it turns out that this hilarious cover comes from an actual YouTube star named Bryce Hitchcock. She's a good sport about the whole joke, and spoke to Vulture about how Daris's jab of “White girls love that shit," is pretty accurate.

“Most white girls aren’t great rappers, unless that’s your thing, so they just do something acoustic with it because rap is popular and they want people to see their videos," she told Vulture.

She'd actually never covered a hip-hop song before, and worked to make it her own before the audition. She played it once and they thought it was perfect—“They were all like, ‘Oh, dang. Where’d that come from?’" she said. - Esquire Magazine - Matt Miller

The Story Behind Atlanta’s Acoustic ‘Paper Boi’ Cover
By Dee Lockett

Photo: FX
On FX’s Atlanta, the career ascent of Alfred “Paper Boi” Miles often occurs offscreen, so it’s difficult to gauge just how popular he’s become in season two. But after Thursday night’s episode, “Sportin’ Waves,” question no more: The white people have got to him.

On a visit to find a new plug for his drug hustle in “Sportin’ Waves,” Al finds out that the supplier’s girlfriend, Amber, is a big Paper Boi fan. “So your girl likes hippity-hop?” Darius, bless him, asks. “Oh yeah, she’s gangster, bro,” the guy (very unconvincingly) responds. When Paper Boi and Darius head out, the spam begins. Paper Boi gets texted a link to a YouTube video from the plug — and it’s the girlfriend singing Paper Boi’s self-titled hit on acoustic guitar. It’s a sound so foreign to Paper Boi’s ears, he doesn’t even know what he’s hearing. “It’s an acoustic rap cover,” Darius explains. “White girls love that shit.”

“I mean, he’s not wrong!” Bryce Hitchcock, an actual YouTube cover artist who plays Amber, tells Vulture. “Most white girls aren’t great rappers, unless that’s your thing, so they just do something acoustic with it because rap is popular and they want people to see their videos.” Hitchcock, an actress and singer who’s been covering songs on her own YouTube channel for years, auditioned to do the “Paper Boi” cover knowing she’d play a laughably accurate stereotype. The only problem? She’d never covered a rap song before. “Part of the process was finding a way to make Paper Boi’s song my own thing. I found more acoustic-y chords to go under it and found a different flow, almost jazzy in some places,” she says.


Though Stephen Glover wrote and performed the original song for the show, Hitchcock says she auditioned with her version, played it at the table read, and was told it didn’t need a single adjustment. “They were all like, ‘Oh, dang. Where’d that come from?’” she says. “I remember Donald was wearing a Sublime Doughnuts hat, which I thought was perfect because that’s an Atlanta doughnut shop — I go to school part-time at Georgia Tech — and we were all in Atlanta.”

Like most pop culture on the show, the inspiration for a white girl appropriating rap came from the real-life trend. “We’ve had a running joke for years about popular songs that were initially trap and extremely gutta, and they get really mainstream,” Atlanta writer Jamal Olori says. “Then you get people who have no reference for those songs doing covers.” He brings up Chicago socialite Niykee Heaton’s viral 2012 cover of Chief Keef’s “Love Sosa” as one of the worst offenses: “She’s talking about guns and drugs, but it’s something she knows nothing about or even cares about.”

“It kept happening with Fetty Wap’s ‘Trap Queen,’ where they even did a Kidz Bop version so it’s basically 9-year-olds singing about a woman who’s holding down a drug fortress.” It wasn’t a stretch to Olori that Paper Boi’s song might be lost on a wider audience: “It’s about selling cocaine. We knew it’s something that would happen in the real world. You wouldn’t hear a middle-class white girl singing about this. It’s things she would run away from. But because the song is so popular, [Amber] gravitates to it. It also shows that the song has gotten so big in our world, that it even caught onto hers.”

Episode director Hiro Murai had Hitchcock film her cover for the show on a MacBook, so that it recreated the bedroom atmosphere of the DIY covers she actually uploads herself. Her version plays again over the episode’s credits, but Hitchcock says she hasn’t formally recorded the song, though the suggestion did come up. After shooting, she recalls Donald Glover mentioned the possibility of using a recorded version for promotional purposes; she’s also considering playing the cover again for her YouTube channel. Currently, the original version still exists only within the show — multiple looped edits of the hook have a quarter of a million views on YouTube — but that could soon change. “At some point, we’ll package these songs and release it. We still have the full song, which has a full two verses, it’s like three minutes and change,” Olori teases. “You just haven’t heard anything but the chorus. We might drop it in the future.” - Dee Lockett

Indie Pop
REVIEW
Bryce Hitchcock - In the Movies
February 19, 2018
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Bryon William
Bryce Hitchcock is as multi-talented as an artist can get. She is a singer, a songwriter, a musician and an actress. As a songwriter, Bryce has a prolific catalog and as an actress, she is best known for her voice work as Deuce in the Final Fantasy game. Born in Nashville, Bryce began playing violin at the age of three and later added piano and guitar to her instrumental toolbox. Vocally, Bryce delivers a harmonious and heartfelt blend of Folk, Blues, Jazz and Pop with a hint of Country. Her song "In the Movies," with help from Stuart Gray (producer:Jealoustown Studios, guitarist) and Shane Gough (drums), is sure to be another hit in her catalog.

'In the Movies' opens with some street traffic ambiance. In the background you can hear the faint sound of cars passing by and auto horns which fade to make room for a funky bass-line, accompanied by percussion, that sets a nice jamming groove. Bryce enters singing, "Whenever I go outside /Even on a cold night /All the pairs of faces /Smiling like they’re ageless / Cause love makes you happy so they say." Immediately, the listener is treated to a smooth and soulful tone with just the right amount of pop sensibility.

The verses build up nicely to the catchy chorus. A nice feature in the chorus is the additional texture of syncopated guitar phrasing. The lyrics in the chorus are, "I want to be loved like in the movies / So, put me on a big screen / If someone would have me / I need to be free and love just clips my wings / So, I can’t breathe no I need to breathe, yeah Help me breathe and leave me be." Bryce is making a commentary on how love is portrayed in the entertainment industry. On the big screen, love is often romanticized and idealistic. Bryce seems to be saying, it's okay to find yourself first and take some time to fly independently.

Released on Valentine's Day, "In the Movies" is a song to fall in love with if you are looking for the whole package. Bryce delivers with exceptional vocal talent, a polished and well-produce track, a strong hook and lyrics that anyone can relate to. Haven't we all wished for a romance like the movies? Just like in a good romantic movie, Bryce is mesmerizing in subtle way and you find that you have fallen in love with her music without trying.

Bryce shines like a true pop star who has perfected her art. "In the Movies" is available on all major outlets. For more information on Bryce, visit her website: https://www.brycehitchcock.com - Bryon William

Bryce Hitchcock - 'I Wonder'
January 5, 2017
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Bryon Harris
Bryce Hitchcock is a multi-talented, dynamic Singer/Songwriter/Actress based out of Nashville. Blending Folk, Blues, Jazz and Pop with a hint of Country, Bryce creates an extremely enjoyable music experience that will surely have universal appeal. Bryce has performed in the NAMM She Rocks Showcase in Nashville; she has had her music played on thousands of radio stations worldwide; and she is the voice of Deuce in Final fantasy Type-O HD video game. Her song “I Wonder” showcases her undeniable gift as a songwriter and it is a great introduction to her music.


“I wonder” is about reminiscing over a past relationship where, after leaving the person, you wonder if you had stayed around - would they still be here today? Bryce sings, “and I wonder would you have stayed if I never walked away and I wonder would you have survived if I’d given you my whole life.” Bryce uses each verse to build on this theme which is deeply emotional and heartfelt.

The song begins with beautiful guitar arpeggios, backed up by a jamming beat on the drums. Bryce enters the first verse singing, “I look out the window where birds used to fly in the sky. It seems the only thing that flies now is our time.” Bryce's voice has a pure tone which, when paired with beautiful, haunting melodies of "I Wonder," makes for a gorgeous song. With the addition of vocal harmonies, bass and keys, this arrangement has a professional sound quality which provides Bryce with a great platform to make a strong entrance into the music industry. "I wonder" is extremely memorable and moving. It will resonate with you long after you hear it.

Bryce's songwriting is honest; she reaches deep within to explore the questions that linger long after we experience something that haunts us. "I Wonder" is a testimony to Bryce's maturity as a young songwriter; she is more than a song-writer - she is a story teller who captivates us with her ability to tackle complex emotions and topics. Bryce never pushes it over the top, instead she lets the music breath and develop which keeps us glued to each note. The song ends softly with Bryce softly singing, "and I wonder."

With songs like “I Wonder,” there is no doubt that Bryce Hitchcock should be an artist on your playlist. She will be releasing her album, ‘I Wonder,’ early this year with the title track single soon to be available on itunes. For more information on Bryce, visit her website www.brycehitchcock.com. - Bryon Harris