LISTENING TO | NICOLE ALEXIS - HOW'S IT GONNA BE (THIRD EYE BLIND)

I don’t know who Nicole Alexis is.

Never heard of her until recently.

But then she did a cover of my favorite Third Eye Blind song—and it ruled.

Now, I’m a sucker for song covers, especially when artists put their own spin on it. In fact, the only way I ever appreciate some girly pop songs is through their cover versions. Case in point: "Beauty and the Beat." Yeah, I’ve mellowed down on my Bieber cringe in recent years, but let’s be honest—I’m not exactly hitting nightclubs anytime soon, so my exposure to Nicki Minaj is still pretty limited. Same deal with Demi Lovato’s "I Really Don’t Care."

But the cover versions?

That’s a different story.

The first time I heard Alex Goot and Chrissy Costanza’s version of Beauty and the Beat, I was sold. The arrangement felt like something straight out of my comfort zone—melodic, stripped down, and heartfelt.

And while Postmodern Jukebox can be hit or miss for me, I’m a big fan of Morgan James. Her Motown-style take on I Really Don’t Care is still one of my favorite PMJ covers to this day. Sassy, soulful, and just plain fun.

Back to Nicole Alexis. While most people associate Third Eye Blind with Semi-Charmed Life or Jumper, my all-time favorite is How’s It Gonna Be. That song hits different. I still remember the late ‘90s—playing Diablo 1 on my PC, while MTV Asia played in the background. I’d pause my game every time I saw that music video. I’d just sit there and chill, soaking it all in… up until the scream in the second verse that tore through the chill like a gut punch.

Nicole didn’t scream in her version—but you can still hear that same desperation in her voice. It’s raw, honest, and surprisingly affecting.

So I went down the rabbit hole. Her channel is a goldmine. Covers of Smashing Pumpkins, Radiohead, The Cranberries, 30 Seconds to Mars, and Blink-182—all done in her quiet, stripped-back style.

Actually, it was her cover of Blink-182’s "Dammit" that first caught my attention. Then it was 30STM’s "The Kill" that made me go full detective mode. But it was How’s It Gonna Be that pushed me to write this blog.

What can I say? I’m a sucker for what I believe is the golden era of alternative rock. And when you pair that with acoustic vibes and chill production, it’s a formula I can’t resist.

I can already see myself curating a playlist of her best covers and spamming it on YouTube Premium while driving through the city—just me, the road, and the feels.