Erik Grönwall’s Viral Rock Rendition of ‘I Will Always Love You’ Stuns the Internet
In April 2024, the ex-frontman of the legendary heavy metal band Skid Row posted a viral cover of “I Will Always Love You” on YouTube, shocking the internet and amassing 1.1M views in just a couple of months!
Erik Grönwall, whose recent album with Skid Row includes tracks like “Not Dead Yet” and “World on Fire,” might seem an unlikely choice to tackle a Whitney Houston cover. However, his unexpected take on the pop classic is captivating, especially with Erik’s soul-stirring falsettos and enchanting, angelic choruses.
After a tender start showcasing Erik’s ability to navigate Whitney’s challenging vocal runs, he loosens his control, finishing the second chorus with a rock star’s trademark falsetto “Yeahh!” and making way for a blissful saxophone solo.
Electric guitars dominate the song’s final chorus, enriching Erik’s crystal-clear voice with supernatural harmonies before he hits Whitney Houston’s iconic high notes with pure, powerful chest voice instead of falsetto.
Stockholm-born rock and metal singer Erik Grönwall, 36 at the time of his viral cover, rose to fame in Sweden in 2009 after winning the Swedish TV show “Idol.” His debut single “Higher” and self-titled album both peaked at #1 in the Swedish charts, with “Higher” securing the #2 position on the Year-end charts.
In 2010, Erik joined Swedish hard rock/heavy metal band H.E.A.T. as their lead vocalist, replacing Kenny Leckremo and recording four studio albums with the band over a decade until his departure in 2021, following a diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in March that year.
After a bone marrow transplant and a lengthy recovery, Erik joined Skid Row from 2022 to 2024, recording vocals for the band’s first album in 16 years, “The Gang’s All Here.” However, he had to prioritize his health and decided to step down due to the rigors of touring.
In a powerful statement with Blabbermouth, Erik said: “I just wanna say, before the media starts with all this f*****g clickbait s**t, let me be perfectly clear. Listen carefully: I am not sick. And it’s not like I don’t wanna tour. I love being on the road. I just need a better balance. And, of course, we have tried to find the right balance together as a band multiple times. But at the end of the day, I realized that it was better for me to just step aside.”
Fortunately, Erik had a YouTube career to fall back on. Posting covers, vlogs, and insights to his 117k subscribers, many of Erik’s vocal covers have gone viral, including “I Will Always Love You,” “Without You” by Mariah Carey, and “Livin’ On A Prayer” by Bon Jovi.
